High expression levels of circulating microRNA‐122 and microRNA‐222 are associated with obesity in children with Mayan ethnicity

• Published in: American journal of human biology Vol. 33; no. 6; pp. e23540 - n/a
• Main Authors: González‐Arce, Larissa Michelle, Lara‐Riegos, Julio César, Pérez‐Mendoza, Gerardo José, Rubí‐Castellanos, Rodrigo, Vega‐Marcín, Miguel, Valencia‐Pacheco, Guillermo, Torres‐Romero, Julio César, González‐Herrera, Lizbeth
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-11-2021; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Anthropometry; Body mass; Body Mass Index; Body size; Child; Children; Circulating MicroRNA; Correlation coefficient; Correlation coefficients; Density; Ethnicity; Humans; Insulin; Insulin resistance; Lipids; Mexico - epidemiology; MicroRNAs; MicroRNAs - genetics; Minority & ethnic groups; miRNA; Morbidity; Obesity; Parameters; Pediatric Obesity - ethnology; Pediatric Obesity - genetics; Polymerase chain reaction; Ribonucleic acid; Risk; RNA; Triglycerides; Weight; Mexico
• ISSN: 1042-0533; 1520-6300
• DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23540

Objectives
High expression levels (HELs) of microRNA‐122 (miR‐122) or microRNA‐222 (miR‐222) have been associated with insulin resistance (IR), which leads to the development of obesity. The association between HELs of circulating miR‐122 and miR‐222 and the risk of obesity was evaluated in Mexican school‐aged children, where childhood obesity is the primary cause of morbidity.
Methods
Anthropometric data, biochemical parameters, and caloric intake were obtained in 50 children with obesity and 49 children with normal weight. The expression of circulating miR‐122 and miR‐222 was measured by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction amplification. Data were analyzed using Student t test, Pearson correlation coefficient, associations with chi‐square, and multiple linear and logistic regressions with SPSS software v.23.
Results
The mean relative expression for miR‐122 and miR‐222 was 0.33 and 5.65, respectively, for children with obesity and 0.22 and 3.16, respectively, for children with normal weight. The expression of miR‐122 and miR‐222 was 1.47 and 1.78‐fold higher, respectively, in children with obesity (P = 0.001 and P = 0.025). HELs of both miR‐122 and miR‐222 were associated with body mass index (BMI), waist to height ratio (WHR), fat percentage, serum high‐density lipid levels, triglycerides (TGs), and metabolic index (MI) (P < .001).
Conclusions
The HELs of circulating miR‐122 conferred a 3.85‐fold increase in the risk for obesity, whereas the HELs of both miR‐122 and miR‐222 conferred a 3.11‐fold increase in the risk for obesity, which were also associated with higher anthropometric or biochemical parameters, such as BMI, WHR, fat percentage, serum high‐density lipid levels, TGs, and MI, in Mayan children.