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World J Exp Med. Nov 30, 2018; 8(3): 18-23
Published online Nov 30, 2018. doi: 10.5493/wjem.v8.i3.18
Circulating microRNAs as biomarkers for diabetic neuropathy: A novel approach
Eleni Xourgia, Athanasia Papazafiropoulou, Andreas Melidonis
Eleni Xourgia, Athanasia Papazafiropoulou, Andreas Melidonis, 1st Department of Internal Medicine and Diabetes Center, Tzaneio General Hospital of Piraeus, Athens 18536, Greece
Author contributions: All authors equally contributed to this paper with conception and design of the study, literature review and analysis, drafting and critical revision and editing, and final approval of the final version.
Conflict-of-interest statement: No potential conflicts of interest. No financial support.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author to: Athanasia Papazafiropoulou, MD, MSc, PhD, Attending Doctor, 1st Department of Internal Medicine and Diabetes Center, Tzaneio General Hospital of Piraeus, 1 Zanni and Afentouli Street, Athens 18536, Greece. pathan@ath.forthnet.gr
Telephone: +30-697-996483
Received: October 13, 2018
Peer-review started: October 15, 2018
First decision: November 1, 2018
Revised: November 5, 2018
Accepted: November 15, 2018
Article in press: November 15, 2018
Published online: November 30, 2018
Processing time: 61 Days and 17.6 Hours
Abstract

Oxidative stress stemming from tissue exposure to constant hyperglycemia is one of the major pathogenetic pathways of diabetic macro- and microvascular complications. Diabetic polyneuropathy, commonly manifesting as distal, symmetrical sensorimotor polyneuropathy, is characterized by progressive severity of symptoms, with rates analogous to the quality of glycemic control achieved by the patients and physicians. Palliative care with analgesics and aggressive glycemic control often improve quality of life in the absence of causative treatment. Currently, there is a growing body of evidence indicating the role of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications, with emphasis on diabetic nephropathy and neuropathy. Therefore, in this review, we aim to explore the role of microRNAs and their polymorphisms in the pathophysiology of diabetic polyneuropathy, as well as, the possibility of novel diagnostic and therapeutic applications by epigenetic profiling and manipulation.

Keywords: Diabetic neuropathy; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Type 1 diabetes mellitus; Epigenetic; MicroRNAs

Core tip: In this review, we aim to create a concise overview of the epigenetics underlining the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy with emphasis on the altered microRNA expression patterns identified on both animal and human subjects, while, exploring the manner by which they could be manipulated and utilized as novel therapeutic targets.