Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40788916›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Differential microRNA profiling of the Marshallese population in Arkansas reveals a higher association with chronic diseases.

Gohar Azhar, Ambika Verma, Pankaj Patyal, Wei Zhang, Shakshi Sharma, Patricia E Savary, Sheldon Riklon, Philmar Mendoza Kabua, Pearl A McElfish, Jeanne Y Wei

Expression of concernAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It carries an expression of concern. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Gohar AzharDonald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6810-5189
Ambika VermaDonald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America.
Pankaj PatyalDonald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America.
Wei ZhangDepartment of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America.
Shakshi SharmaDonald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America.
Patricia E SavaryDonald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America.
Sheldon RiklonCollege of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Springdale, Arkansas, United States of America.
Philmar Mendoza KabuaCollege of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Springdale, Arkansas, United States of America.
Pearl A McElfishCollege of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Springdale, Arkansas, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4033-6241
Jeanne Y WeiDonald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America.

Funding

Evaluation of the cognitive function and socioeconomic, biomedical, and genetic risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) in older Marshallese residents of Northwest ArkansasR01MD013852 · NIMHD · UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS · PI MCELFISH, PEARL · 2019 to 2023
$7.2M
NIMHD NIH HHS R01 MD013852
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The Marshallese communities face disproportionately high prevalence of chronic diseases, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and inflammatory conditions. Differences in miRNA expression may contribute to investigate the potential risk of chronic diseases in Marshallese people. In this study, we used RNA isolated from blood samples of Marshallese participants that resides in Arkansas to perform miRNA expression profiling and differential expression analysis. Specifically, blood samples were collected from 47 Marshallese participants after obtaining written informed consent and were subjected to Illumina-based next-generation RNA sequencing. Using the miRBase database, we identified the miRNAs that were most significantly expressed based on log2 fold change values, applying a Bonferroni-corrected P-value threshold of < 0.01. We found that a total of 63 human miRNAs were differentially expressed in the Marshallese subjects, with 52 miRNAs significantly upregulated and 11 miRNAs downregulated in males compared with females. Notably, 2 miRNA families, hsa-miR-548 and hsa-let-7, were significantly upregulated in the Marshallese population and are known to play important roles in regulating inflammatory responses. Further analysis revealed the 25 miRNAs that had the largest significant difference in expression with a cutoff of 1.5 when comparing males with females. Among these, we observed that 7 miRNAs were upregulated, and 18 miRNAs were downregulated by greater than 1.5 log2 fold change in males versus females. Interestingly, upregulated expression of hsa-miR-548k in males and hsa-miR-496 in females were both associated with diabetes mellitus. Diabetes remains a major health concern in the Marshallese community and may accelerate comorbidities related to cardiovascular conditions and cognitive decline. Therefore, the specific roles of these miRNAs in relation to these health issues warrant further investigation.

Indexed as

MicroRNAsAdultAgedArkansasChronic DiseaseDiabetes MellitusFemaleGene Expression ProfilingHumansMaleMicronesiaMiddle AgedMicroRNAs

Identifiers

PMID40788916
PMCPMC12338811

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.