Inflammation Related MicroRNAs Are Modulated in Total Plasma and in Extracellular Vesicles from Rats with Chronic Ingestion of Sucrose

Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) and the functional implications of miRNAs contained in extracellular vesicles (EVs) have gained attention in the last decade. Little is known about the regulation of the abundance of plasma miRNAs in response to chronic ingestion of carbohydrates. Therefore, we explored the circulating levels of miR-21, miR-146a, miR-155, and miR-223 in rats consuming sucrose in drinking water. Weanling Wistar rats were 25 weeks with 30% sucrose in drinking water, and miRNAs expression was determined in total plasma and in microvesicles, by RT-qPCR with TaqMan probe based assays for miR-21, miR-146a, miR-155, and miR-223, using cel-miR-39 (as spike in control and reference). Endotoxemia was also measured. Sucrose-fed animals showed higher body weight and retroperitoneal adipose tissue as well as higher glucose and triglyceride plasma levels than controls. Plasma endotoxin levels were low and not different among groups. Plasma miR-21 and miR-223 were higher in the sucrose group (p < 0.05), whereas miR-155 tended to be lower (p = 0.0661), and miR-146a did not show significant differences. In the plasma EVs the same trend was found except for miR-146a that showed significantly higher levels (p < 0.05). Overall, our results show that high carbohydrate ingestion modulates circulating miRNAs levels related to an inflammatory response.