Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2011 Jun;11(4):304-16.
doi: 10.2174/156652411795677990.

microRNAs in the regulation of adipogenesis and obesity

R A McGregor  1 , M S Choi
Affiliations
Free PMC article
Review

microRNAs in the regulation of adipogenesis and obesity

R A McGregor et al. Curr Mol Med. 2011 Jun.
Free PMC article

Abstract

Worldwide obesity is a growing health problem, associated with increased risk of chronic disease. Understanding the molecular basis of adipogenesis and fat cell development in obesity is essential to identify new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the development of anti-obesity drugs. microRNAs (miRNAs) appear to play regulatory roles in many biological processes associated with obesity, including adipocyte differentiation, insulin action and fat metabolism. Recent studies show miRNAs are dysregulated in obese adipose tissue. During adipogenesis miRNAs can accelerate or inhibit adipocyte differentiation and hence regulate fat cell development. In addition miRNAs may regulate adipogenic lineage commitment in multipotent stem cells and hence govern fat cell numbers. Recent findings suggest miR-519d may be associated with human obesity, but larger case-control studies are needed. Few miRNA targets have been experimentally validated in adipocytes but interestingly both miR-27 and miR-519d target PPAR family members, which are well established regulators of fat cell development. In this review recent advances in our understanding of the role of miRNAs in fat cell development and obesity are discussed. The potential of miRNA based therapeutics targeting obesity is highlighted as well as recommendations for future research which could lead to a breakthrough in the treatment of obesity.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. (1)
Fig. (1)
miRNA biogenesis pathway. miRNAs are transcribed by RNA polymerase II resulting in pri-miRNA transcripts. Pri-miRNAs are processed by a microprocessor complex including Drosha and DGCR8 leaving Pre-miRNAs which are exported from the nucleus via Exportin5. Pre-miRNAs are processed by Dicer, the mature miRNA is loaded in the RISC complex. Mature miRNAs bind the 3’UTRs of target mRNAs and localize to P-bodies. In P-bodies target mRNAs are deadenylated and degraded via CAF1 and PABP or translationally repressed.
Fig. (2)
Fig. (2)
Fat cell development: Multipotent mesenchymal stem cells can develop into lineage committed pre-adipocytes. PPAR and C/EBP transcription factors co-ordinate adipogenic gene expression during terminal differentiation into lipid storing mature adipocytes.
Fig. (3)
Fig. (3)
Mammalian miRNAs regulate target genes during adipogenesis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Lean M, Han T, Seidell J. Impairment of health and quality of life in people with large waist circumference. Lancet. 1998;351:853–6. - PubMed
    1. Cummings DE, Schwartz MW. Genetics and pathophysiology of human obesity. Annu Rev Med. 2003;54:453–71. - PubMed
    1. Bray GA, Tartaglia LA. Medicinal strategies in the treatment of obesity. Nature. 2000;404:672–7. - PubMed
    1. Couzin J. MicroRNAs make big impression in disease after disease. Science. 2008;319:1782–4. - PubMed
    1. Lagos-Quintana M, Rauhut R, Lendeckel W, Tuschl T. Identification of novel genes coding for small expressed RNAs. Science. 2001;294:853–8. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms