Changes of the plasma mRNA levels of some genes in patiens with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Abstract

Background and aims: Better understanding of the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus and its complications requires the investigation of the genetic factors involved in the utilization of oxygen and glucose. Recently, the role of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) was suggested as the possible factors involved in the pathogenesis of type diabetes mellitus and some of its complications. However, the data regarding the expression of the genes of these factors in patients with diabetes mellitus are scarce. The aim of our study was to examine the levels of the mRNA encoding mTOR and НIF-1 in patients with long-term type 2 diabetes. Materials and methods: We enrolled 24 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (6 males and 18 females, mean age 61.6±9.26, HbA1c – 9.4±2.53%, diabetes duration - 13.35±5.73 years, data are presented as mean+SD) and 11 patients without diabetes (6 males and 5 females, mean age 50.0±2.71 years) as the control group. Real-time PCR analysis was performed for quantitative evaluation of mTOR and HIF-1 mRNA in the blood. The statistical analysis was performed using Student test. Results: We found statistically significant elevation of the plasma levels of the HIF-1 mRNA in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to control group – 29.5±2.45 vs 1.4±0.47, p<0.05. It was the trend toward decrease of the levels mTOR mRNA in the blood in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to control group - 29.49±2.45 vs. 35.19±10.36, p<0.1. Conclusions: The revealed changes of the plasma levels of mRNA of HIF-1 and mTOR in patients with long-term poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus could indicate the changes of the expression of those genes and possible role for the impairments of the production of those factors in the pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications. The clinical significance of the revealed changes of the genes expression requires the further investigation.