Effect of miR-26b on gestational diabetes mellitus in rats via PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the influence of micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-26b on gestational diabetes mellitus in rats via the phosphatidylinositol 3-hydroxy kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 healthy pregnant female rats were randomly divided into three groups, including group A (normal group), group B (model group), and group C (model + miR-26b group). The differences in fasting blood glucose (FBG), C-reactive protein (CRP), and phosphatidylinositol 3-hydroxy kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) among the three groups were analyzed via serum CRP test, morphological observation, quantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR), and Western blotting, respectively. RESULTS: The levels of FBG ad CRP were significantly up-regulated in group B when compared with group A (p<0.01). Meanwhile, they increased significantly in group C when compared with group B (p<0.01). Rats in group A exhibited smooth and flat thoracic aortic intimas, as well as neatly arranged smooth muscle cells at the media layer. However, rats in group B showed fractured intimas with enlarged junction gaps, as well as necrotic and detached endothelial cells. Compared with group B, group C exhibited extremely poorly arranged cells at all the layers, rough and rugged intimas, larger areas of necrotic and detached endothelial cells, and markedly worsened lesions. QRT-PCR results indicated that the expression of phosphorylated-PI3K (p-PI3K) was significantly lower in group B than that of group A (p=0.04). Meanwhile, it was markedly lower in group C than that in group B (p=0.04). The expression of p-Akt was remarkably lower in group B than group A (p=0.04), which was also significantly lower in group C than group B (p=0.04). Compared with group A, the expressions of p-PI3K and p-Akt in the thoracic aorta of group B were evidently down-regulated (p<0.01). Furthermore, they decreased markedly in group C when compared with group B (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: MiR-26b accelerates the progression of gestational diabetes by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.