(EN10) Evaluation of Serum microRNA-375 Concentration in Dogs with Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract:

Background: Serum microRNAs (miRNAs) serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for various diseases. The serum concentration of miRNA-375 (miR-375), which is abundantly expressed in pancreatic islet cells, is increased in dogs with experimentally induced pancreatic injury and naturally occurring acute pancreatitis. However, this has not been reported in dogs with diabetes mellitus (DM).

Objectives: To compare the expression of serum cfa-miR-375 between dogs with DM and healthy dogs and examine changes in serum cfa-miR-375 levels after insulin administration in dogs with DM.Animals: Twenty dogs with DM and 18 healthy dogs.

Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated the relative expression of serum cfa-miR-375 using reverse transcription and real-time PCR. The primary endpoint was the comparison of serum cfa-miR-375 expression between dogs with DM and healthy dogs. Prospective cohort study.

Results: The mean ± standard deviation (SD) fold change (FC) of serum cfa-miR-375 was significantly higher (P = .048) in dogs with DM (2.30 ± 2.018) than in healthy dogs (1.294 ± 0.560). The FC of serum miR-375 was significantly increased (P = .01) after treatment (4.017 ± 2.054) than before treatment (2.322 ± 2.608) in dogs with DM. The percentage change in cfa-miR-375 levels was positively correlated with the concentration of serum fructosamine post-treatment (r = .62, P = .01).Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Serum cfa-miR-375 is a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of canine DM. Additionally, increased serum miR-375 levels may be associated with direct leakage from the damaged pancreas and pathological glucose regulation in canine DM.