Circulating mRNA and miRNA Signatures Used as Predictive Markers of Lifestyle Modification Outcomes in Pediatric Obesity Management
Authors' conclusion
The role of the balance between STAT3 and PTEN in LSM was discovered. The importance of previously described miRNA markers (miRNA-122, miRNA-127, miRNA-27a) related to adipogenesis risk, insulin resistance, hepatic fat reduction, PPAR-γ expression was confirmed. A combination of the previously reported leptin feature together with STAT3/PTEN and miRNA-27a levels showed promising predictive results.
Study context
- Population
- Children with obesity (BMI >97%), age 8–17 years (median 12.8 years; 45% females), completing 12 months of lifestyle modification (LSM) at three clinical centers in Poland, Turkey and Italy50 samples for RNA-seq
- Participants
- 159 children
- Exposure
- Responders vs non-responders to lifestyle modification
- RSn = 31
- non-RSn = 19reference
- Outcome
- Circulating mRNA and miRNA expression associated with positive response to LSM (decrease in z-score BMI)
- Follow-up
- 12 months (V0-V12)
Methodological detailsmulticentre, RNA-seq of stratified representative samples, candidate gene approach
- Multicentre
- RNA-seq of stratified representative samples
- Candidate gene approach
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Differential expression RS vs non-RS
mRNA genes significantly different RS vs non-RS
909
miRNA genes significantly different RS vs non-RS
24
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Pathway enrichment of differentially expressed mRNA
- "vitamin B6 metabolism" and "insulin receptor signaling" enriched; PNPO, PHOSPHO2, PDXP, PSAT1 upregulated in RS vs non-RS
- P < 0.001
- "Leptin signaling pathway WP2034" enriched in STAT3 and PTEN
- P < 0.0001
Original publication
Circulating mRNA and miRNA Signatures Used as Predictive Markers of Lifestyle Modification Outcomes in Pediatric Obesity Management. Horm Res Paediatr. Published 2 July 2026. doi:10.
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