Association between the Mediterranean diet and metabolic syndrome with serum levels of miRNA in morbid obesity

Background: The Mediterranean diet (MD) could be involved in the regulation of different miRNAs related to metabolic syndrome (MS). Methods: We analyzed the serum level of mir-let7a-5p, mir-21, mir-590, mir-107 and mir-192 in patients with morbid obesity and its association with the MD and MS. Results: There is an association between the adherence to MD and higher serum levels of mir-590. Mir-590 was lower in those patients who consumed >2 commercial pastries/week. Mir-let7a was lower in those who consumed ≥1 sweetened drinks, in those who consumed ≥3 pieces of fruit/day and in those who consumed less red than white meat. A lower mir-590 and mir-let7a, and a higher mir-192 level, were found in patients who met the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) criterion of MS. A higher mir-192 was found in those patients who met the triglyceride criterion of MS and in those with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Conclusions: There is an association between specific serum levels of miRNAs and the amount and kind of food intake related to MD. Mir-590 was positively associated with a healthy metabolic profile and type of diet, while mir-192 was positively associated with a worse metabolic profile. These associations could be suggestive of a possible modulation of these miRNAs by food.