Recent advances of long non-coding RNAs in control of hepatic gluconeogenesis

Abstract

Gluconeogenesis is the main process for endogenous glucose production during prolonged fasting, or certain pathological conditions, which occurs primarily in the liver. Hepatic gluconeogenesis is a biochemical process that is finely controlled by hormones such as insulin and glucagon, and it is of great importance for maintaining normal physiological blood glucose levels. Dysregulated gluconeogenesis induced by obesity is often associated with hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in various cellular events, from gene transcription to protein translation, stability, and function. In recent years, a growing number of evidences has shown that lncRNAs play a key role in hepatic gluconeogenesis and thereby, affect the pathogenesis of T2D. Here we summarized the recent progress in lncRNAs and hepatic gluconeogenesis.

Keywords: G6Pase; PEPCK; blood glucose; hepatic gluconeogenesis; long non-coding RNAs; type 2 diabetes.

Figure 1

Influences of lncRNAs in hepatic gluconeogenesis. In general, lncRNAs affect hepatic gluconeogenesis in the following ways: lncRNAs directly regulate the expression of gluconeogenic genes, such as lncH19, lncSHGL, lncBhmt-AS, lcnMALAT1, lincIRS2, and lncGm10804; lncRNAs interact with miRNAs as competitive endogenous RNAs, such as lncMEG3/miR214; lncGm10768/miR214; lncRNAs act as microRNA molecular sponges to block subsequent pathways, such as lncH19/miRlet-7; lncMEG3/miR302-a-3p; lncGomafu/miR139; or lncRNAs bind to the promoter to affect gene transcription, such as lncH19/p53.