Circulating exosomal microRNA profiling of diabetic patients with and without Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis

This study was designed to identify non-invasive biomarkers for the diagnosis of MASH in patients with type 2 diabetes. The progression from simple steatosis to MASH in diabetic patients represents a critical clinical challenge, as it significantly increases the risk for cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Current diagnostic methods are invasive and unsuitable for broad screening. We hypothesized that circulating exosomes contain a specific microRNA (miRNA) signature that can distinguish between diabetic patients with and without MASH. To test this, we isolated serum exosomes from both patient groups and performed small RNA sequencing to comprehensively profile their miRNA content. The goal of this dataset is to provide a resource of differentially expressed exosomal miRNAs that can serve as a foundation for the development of novel, non-invasive diagnostic tools for MASH in this high-risk population.