Effects of Dapagliflozin on miRNA Expression and Microalbuminuria in Diabetic Nephropathy

INTRODUCTION: To investigate the effects of dapagliflozin on micro-ribonucleic acid expression profiles in diabetic nephropathy patients and evaluate potential correlations between micro-ribonucleic acid levels and microalbuminuria.
METHODS: This retrospective study examined 52 patients with diabetic nephropathy receiving dapagliflozin therapy. Serum samples were collected at baseline and day 60 of treatment. Micro-ribonucleic acid-lethal-7a, micro-ribonucleic acid-25 and micro-ribonucleic acid-130b expression levels were analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Clinical parameters, including glucose, lipid profile, and microalbuminuria, were evaluated.
RESULTS: Dapagliflozin treatment significantly reduced glucose, hemoglobin A1c, triglycerides, and urinary microalbumin levels (all p<0.05). Significant increases were observed in miRNA-lethal-7a and miRNA-130b expression levels (p<0.01), while miRNA-25 showed moderate elevation (p<0.05). However, no significant correlation was found between changes in miRNA levels and microalbuminuria reduction.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Dapagliflozin therapy significantly modulates specific miRNA expression profiles while improving glycemic control and reducing microalbuminuria in diabetic nephropathy patients. The observed elevations in miRNA-lethal-7a, miRNA-25, and miRNA-130b levels suggest their potential utility. While these findings provide novel insights into dapagliflozin's molecular effects beyond sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibition larger longitudinal studies are needed to establish definitive relationships between miRNA alterations and clinical outcomes in diabetic nephropathy management.

Keywords: Diabetic nephropathy, dapagliflozin, micro-ribonucleic acid, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, microalbuminuria