tRNA Fragments in Diabetes Mellitus

This review summarizes the research progress on tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) in diabetes mellitus and diabetic complications. tsRNAs, categorized into tRNA-derived stress-induced RNAs (tiRNAs) and tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs), are involved in gene expression, protein translation, apoptosis, and intercellular communication. As a class of regulatory non-coding RNAs, tsRNAs exhibit significant roles in diabetes mellitus. Specifically, tRF-1:31-Glu-CTC-1-M2 shows early diagnostic value in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), while 5'ValCAC combined with miR-23b-3p distinguishes maternally inherited diabetes from type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (AUC = 1.00). tsRNAs demonstrate specific expression in diabetic complications: tRF-3001a and tRF-30 are elevated in diabetic retinopathy (DR) vitreous samples and tRF-Gly-CCC-039 exacerbates diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) progression. Furthermore, specific fragments like 5'tiRNA-His-GTG and tiRNA-Val are implicated in neurovascular dysfunction during DR progression. These findings present novel insights into the precise diagnosis and therapeutic management of diabetes mellitus and diabetic complications, underscoring the considerable translational potential of tsRNAs in clinical applications.