https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29271122 NAFLD
Pediatr Obes. 2017 Dec 22. doi: 10.1111/ijpo.12261. [Epub ahead of print]

Brandt S, Roos J, Inzaghi E, Kotnik P, Kovac J, Battelino T, Cianfarani S, Nobili V, Colajacomo M, Kratzer W, Denzer C, Fischer-Posovszky P, Wabitsch M.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
The liver-specific miR-122 was proposed as biomarker for NAFLD in adults. Here, we investigated the relationship between miR-122 levels, parameters of liver metabolism and NAFLD in pre-pubertal obese children.

METHODS:
Parameters of liver metabolism (ALT, AST and GGT) of three European cohorts were included (German cohort [n = 71; age: 11.53 ± 1.29 years; BMI z-score: 2.96 ± 0.64], Italian cohort [n = 45; age: 9.60 ± 2.11 years; BMI z-score: 3.57 ± 1.16], Slovenian cohort [n = 31; age: 7.53 ± 1.47 years; BMI z-score: 3.66 ± 0.88]). MiR-122 levels and CK18 concentrations were measured in fasting blood samples. In the German and Italian cohort, the diagnosis of NAFLD and grading of NAFLD was assessed by ultrasound.

RESULTS:
NAFLD was diagnosed in n = 50 patients of the German cohort (29.6%) and in n = 29 patients (72.5%) of the Italian cohort. In all three cohorts, miR-122 was positively correlated with ALT and AST as well as with CK18 concentrations. MiR-122 levels were higher in children with NAFLD compared with healthy controls.

CONCLUSIONS:
MiR-122 levels in pre-pubertal obese children could be a potential biomarker for paediatric NAFLD.