Association of serum Mir-217 level with Sirt1 and HIF-1α in type 2 diabetic patients with different urinary albumin excretion rates

Objective To explore the associations of serum Mir-217 with silent information regulator 1(Sirt1)and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α)in type 2 diabetic patients with different urinary albumin excretion rates. Methods A total of 479 patients with type 2 diabetes were divided into normoalbuminuric(D1, n=181), microalbuminuric(D2, n=165), and macroalbuminuric(D3, n=133)subgroups. 192 normal subjects served as control group. Serum level of Mir-217 was detected by realtime PCR. Serum Sirt1, HIF-1α, and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Compared with control subjects, serum Mir-217 level was significantly increased in type 2 diabetic patients and gradually increased in D1, D2, and D3 groups(P<0.01). The parameters of age, diabetes duration, body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistant index(HOMA-IR), HbA1C, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C), total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG), serum uric acid(SUA), blood urea nitrogen(BUN), HIF-1α, VEGF, and Mir-217 all were positively correlated with ACR(all P<0.05). High density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-C)and Sirt1 were negatively correlated with ACR(both P<0.05). VEGF, HIF-1α, Mir-217, BUN, diabetes duration, LDL-C, Sirt1, and SUA were independent factors that influenced ACR(all P<0.01). Additionally, diabetes duration, HOMA-IR, HbA1C, ACR, LDL-C, TC, TG, SUA, BUN, HIF-1α, and VEGF were positively correlated with Mir-217(all P<0.05), while Sirt1 was negatively correlated with Mir-217(P<0.01). Conclusion Serum Mir-217, as a possible biomarker for early diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy, may be involved in the development of diabetic nephropathy by promoting chronic inflammatory reaction, renal fibrosis, and angiogenesis. (Chin J Endocrinol Metab, 2016, 32: 546-551) Key words: Serum MicroRNA-217; Silent information regulator 1; Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Diabetic nephropathy