A MicroRNA Signature in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Associated with Risk of Macrosomia

Background/Aims: MicroRNA (miRNA) is a small non-coding RNA molecule that functions in regulation of gene expression by targeting mRNA to affect its stability and/or translation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the miRNAs involvement in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a well known risk factor for fetal overgrowth. Methods: Differential microRNA expression in placental tissues of normal controls and women with GDM were identified by miRNA micorarray analysis and further confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) on an independent set of normal and GDM placental tissues. Target genes of microRNAs were bioinformatically predicted and verified in vitro by Western blotting. Results: Our results uncovered 9 miRNAs that were significantly deregulated in GDM samples: miR-508-3p was up-regulated and miR-27a, miR-9, miR-137, miR-92a, miR-33a, miR-30d, miR-362-5p and miR-502-5p were down-regulated. Bioinformatic approaches revealed that the microRNAs signature identifies gene targets involved in EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor)-PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-Kinase)-Akt (also known as protein kinase B) pathway, a signal cascade which plays important roles in placental development and fetal growth. We found that the protein levels of EGFR, PI3K and phospho-Akt were up-regulated and PIKfyve (a FYVE finger-containing phosphoinositide kinase), a negative regulator of EGFR signaling, was down-regulated significantly in GDM tissues. We also confirmed PIKfyve was a direct target of miR-508-3p. Conclusion: Our data identified a miRNA signature involvement in GDM which may contribute to macrosomia through enhancing EGFR signaling.