Deniz Yıldız PEHLİVAN, Mirza YÜKSEL, Hamit YILDIZ
Van Medical Journal - 2026;33(1):68-75
Introduction: To investigate the effects of dapagliflozin on micro-ribonucleic acid (miRNA) expression profiles in diabetic nephropathy patients and evaluate potential correlations between miRNA levels and microalbuminuria. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study examined 52 patients with diabetic nephropathy receiving dapagliflozin therapy. Serum samples were collected at baseline and day 60 of treatment. miRNA-lethal-7a, miRNA-25 and miRNA-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. Significant increases were observed in miRNA-lethal-7a and miRNA-130b expression levels, while miRNA-25 showed moderate elevation. However, no significant correlation was found between changes in miRNA levels and microalbuminuria reduction. 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.
