The Development of a Non-Invasive Screening Method Based on Serum microRNAs to Quantify the Percentage of Liver Steatosis

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is often asymptomatic and underdiagnosed; consequently, there is a demand for simple, non-invasive diagnostic tools. In this study, we developed a method to quantify liver steatosis based on miRNAs, present in liver and serum, that cor...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Polina Soluyanova, Guillermo Quintás, Álvaro Pérez-Rubio, Iván Rienda, Erika Moro, Marcel van Herwijnen, Marcha Verheijen, Florian Caiment, Judith Pérez-Rojas, Ramón Trullenque-Juan, Eugenia Pareja, Ramiro Jover
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Biomolecules
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/14/11/1423
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850267771570487296
author Polina Soluyanova
Guillermo Quintás
Álvaro Pérez-Rubio
Iván Rienda
Erika Moro
Marcel van Herwijnen
Marcha Verheijen
Florian Caiment
Judith Pérez-Rojas
Ramón Trullenque-Juan
Eugenia Pareja
Ramiro Jover
author_facet Polina Soluyanova
Guillermo Quintás
Álvaro Pérez-Rubio
Iván Rienda
Erika Moro
Marcel van Herwijnen
Marcha Verheijen
Florian Caiment
Judith Pérez-Rojas
Ramón Trullenque-Juan
Eugenia Pareja
Ramiro Jover
author_sort Polina Soluyanova
collection DOAJ
description Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is often asymptomatic and underdiagnosed; consequently, there is a demand for simple, non-invasive diagnostic tools. In this study, we developed a method to quantify liver steatosis based on miRNAs, present in liver and serum, that correlate with liver fat. The miRNAs were analyzed by miRNAseq in liver samples from two cohorts of patients with a precise quantification of liver steatosis. Common miRNAs showing correlation with liver steatosis were validated by RT-qPCR in paired liver and serum samples. Multivariate models were built using partial least squares (PLS) regression to predict the percentage of liver steatosis from serum miRNA levels. Leave-one-out cross validation and external validation were used for model selection and to estimate predictive performance. The miRNAseq results disclosed (a) 144 miRNAs correlating with triglycerides in a set of liver biobank samples (<i>n</i> = 20); and (b) 124 and 102 miRNAs correlating with steatosis by biopsy digital image and MRI analyses, respectively, in liver samples from morbidly obese patients (<i>n</i> = 24). However, only 35 miRNAs were common in both sets of samples. RT-qPCR allowed to validate the correlation of 10 miRNAs in paired liver and serum samples. The development of PLS models to quantitatively predict steatosis demonstrated that the combination of serum miR-145-3p, 122-5p, 143-3p, 500a-5p, and 182-5p provided the lowest root mean square error of cross validation (RMSECV = 1.1, <i>p</i>-value = 0.005). External validation of this model with a cohort of mixed MASLD patients (<i>n</i> = 25) showed a root mean squared error of prediction (RMSEP) of 5.3. In conclusion, it is possible to predict the percentage of hepatic steatosis with a low error rate by quantifying the serum level of five miRNAs using a cost-effective and easy-to-implement RT-qPCR method.
format Article
id doaj-art-1dcd1bb9d2c84a1c82d29ae0c29430b1
institution OA Journals
issn 2218-273X
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Biomolecules
spelling doaj-art-1dcd1bb9d2c84a1c82d29ae0c29430b12025-08-20T01:53:40ZengMDPI AGBiomolecules2218-273X2024-11-011411142310.3390/biom14111423The Development of a Non-Invasive Screening Method Based on Serum microRNAs to Quantify the Percentage of Liver SteatosisPolina Soluyanova0Guillermo Quintás1Álvaro Pérez-Rubio2Iván Rienda3Erika Moro4Marcel van Herwijnen5Marcha Verheijen6Florian Caiment7Judith Pérez-Rojas8Ramón Trullenque-Juan9Eugenia Pareja10Ramiro Jover11Unidad Mixta de Investigación en Hepatología Experimental, IIS Hospital La Fe, 46026 Valencia, SpainHealth and Biomedicine, LEITAT Technological Center, 08225 Terrassa, SpainServicio de Cirugía General y Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, 46017 Valencia, SpainPathology Department, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, SpainUnidad Mixta de Investigación en Hepatología Experimental, IIS Hospital La Fe, 46026 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Translational Genomics, Research Institute of Oncology and Developmental Biology (GROW), Maastricht University, 6229-ER Maastricht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Translational Genomics, Research Institute of Oncology and Developmental Biology (GROW), Maastricht University, 6229-ER Maastricht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Translational Genomics, Research Institute of Oncology and Developmental Biology (GROW), Maastricht University, 6229-ER Maastricht, The NetherlandsPathology Department, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, SpainServicio de Cirugía General y Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, 46017 Valencia, SpainServicio de Cirugía General y Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, 46017 Valencia, SpainUnidad Mixta de Investigación en Hepatología Experimental, IIS Hospital La Fe, 46026 Valencia, SpainMetabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is often asymptomatic and underdiagnosed; consequently, there is a demand for simple, non-invasive diagnostic tools. In this study, we developed a method to quantify liver steatosis based on miRNAs, present in liver and serum, that correlate with liver fat. The miRNAs were analyzed by miRNAseq in liver samples from two cohorts of patients with a precise quantification of liver steatosis. Common miRNAs showing correlation with liver steatosis were validated by RT-qPCR in paired liver and serum samples. Multivariate models were built using partial least squares (PLS) regression to predict the percentage of liver steatosis from serum miRNA levels. Leave-one-out cross validation and external validation were used for model selection and to estimate predictive performance. The miRNAseq results disclosed (a) 144 miRNAs correlating with triglycerides in a set of liver biobank samples (<i>n</i> = 20); and (b) 124 and 102 miRNAs correlating with steatosis by biopsy digital image and MRI analyses, respectively, in liver samples from morbidly obese patients (<i>n</i> = 24). However, only 35 miRNAs were common in both sets of samples. RT-qPCR allowed to validate the correlation of 10 miRNAs in paired liver and serum samples. The development of PLS models to quantitatively predict steatosis demonstrated that the combination of serum miR-145-3p, 122-5p, 143-3p, 500a-5p, and 182-5p provided the lowest root mean square error of cross validation (RMSECV = 1.1, <i>p</i>-value = 0.005). External validation of this model with a cohort of mixed MASLD patients (<i>n</i> = 25) showed a root mean squared error of prediction (RMSEP) of 5.3. In conclusion, it is possible to predict the percentage of hepatic steatosis with a low error rate by quantifying the serum level of five miRNAs using a cost-effective and easy-to-implement RT-qPCR method.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/14/11/1423Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseasemicroRNAserum biomarkerliver steatosisquantitative predictionpartial least squares regression
spellingShingle Polina Soluyanova
Guillermo Quintás
Álvaro Pérez-Rubio
Iván Rienda
Erika Moro
Marcel van Herwijnen
Marcha Verheijen
Florian Caiment
Judith Pérez-Rojas
Ramón Trullenque-Juan
Eugenia Pareja
Ramiro Jover
The Development of a Non-Invasive Screening Method Based on Serum microRNAs to Quantify the Percentage of Liver Steatosis
Biomolecules
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease
microRNA
serum biomarker
liver steatosis
quantitative prediction
partial least squares regression
title The Development of a Non-Invasive Screening Method Based on Serum microRNAs to Quantify the Percentage of Liver Steatosis
title_full The Development of a Non-Invasive Screening Method Based on Serum microRNAs to Quantify the Percentage of Liver Steatosis
title_fullStr The Development of a Non-Invasive Screening Method Based on Serum microRNAs to Quantify the Percentage of Liver Steatosis
title_full_unstemmed The Development of a Non-Invasive Screening Method Based on Serum microRNAs to Quantify the Percentage of Liver Steatosis
title_short The Development of a Non-Invasive Screening Method Based on Serum microRNAs to Quantify the Percentage of Liver Steatosis
title_sort development of a non invasive screening method based on serum micrornas to quantify the percentage of liver steatosis
topic Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease
microRNA
serum biomarker
liver steatosis
quantitative prediction
partial least squares regression
url https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/14/11/1423
work_keys_str_mv AT polinasoluyanova thedevelopmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT guillermoquintas thedevelopmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT alvaroperezrubio thedevelopmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT ivanrienda thedevelopmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT erikamoro thedevelopmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT marcelvanherwijnen thedevelopmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT marchaverheijen thedevelopmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT floriancaiment thedevelopmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT judithperezrojas thedevelopmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT ramontrullenquejuan thedevelopmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT eugeniapareja thedevelopmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT ramirojover thedevelopmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT polinasoluyanova developmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT guillermoquintas developmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT alvaroperezrubio developmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT ivanrienda developmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT erikamoro developmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT marcelvanherwijnen developmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT marchaverheijen developmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT floriancaiment developmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT judithperezrojas developmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT ramontrullenquejuan developmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT eugeniapareja developmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis
AT ramirojover developmentofanoninvasivescreeningmethodbasedonserummicrornastoquantifythepercentageofliversteatosis