COMPREHENSIVE MOLECULAR DETERMINATION OF MIR-128A RS11888095 GENE VARIATION AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE PREDISPOSITION TO METABOLIC SYNDROME

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cardiometabolic condition including the presence of central obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension with a rising trend among the Middle Eastern populations. miRNAs play a significant role in controlling metabolic process and the genetic variation of these molecules can contribute to the development of diseases. This case-control study examined the relationship between miR-128a rs11888095 C>T polymorphosis and MetS risk among a Saudi cohort. 105 patients with MetS and 105 age- and sex-matched controls were incorporated. Genotyping was performed by ARMS-PCR and the associations were tested by logistic regression. T allele was more common in MetS patients as compared to the controls (0.39 vs. 0.25, p = 0.0001). The CT genotype was associated with increased risk (OR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.48–4.73, p = 0.001), while the TT genotype showed a higher estimated risk (OR = 4.27, 95% CI: 1.03–17.76, p = 0.045). Carriers of T alleles were still at high risk (OR = 2.75, p = 0.0005) in the dominant model. Other important metabolic characteristics linked to genotype were glucose, lipids, waist circumference and blood pressure (p < 0.05). These results indicate that miR-128a rs11888095 can predispose to MetS and can be considered a possible biomarker to determine the risk factors.