tRNA derived fragments are altered in diabetes

Aims: Maternally inherited Diabetes and Deafness (MIDD) is a rare form of adult-onset diabetes that can be difficult to diagnose due to its variable clinical phenotype. Transfer RNA-derived small fragments are a novel, emerging class of small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs) that have significant potential as serum biomarkers due to their stress-induced generation, abundance, stability, and ease of detection.

Methods: We investigated the levels of tiRNA 5'ValCAC (alone and in combination with miR-23b-3p) identified from small-RNA sequencing studies in serum samples from healthy controls, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, and MIDD subjects.

Results: Serum levels of 5'ValCAC were reduced in MIDD and Type 2 diabetes subjects compared to controls. Type 2 diabetes subjects had higher serum levels of miR-23b-3p compared to all other subjects. Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis showed the potential of 5'ValCAC and miR-23b-3p as MIDD biomarkers, with the combination showing excellent separation from type 2 diabetes subjects.

Conclusions: This is the first report showing altered serum levels of tiRNAs in diabetes subjects. The combined use of 5'ValCAC and miR-23b-3p as serum biomarkers could potentially differentiate between MIDD subjects and Type 2 diabetes subjects.