Roles of microRNAs in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism disorders and their therapeutic potential

• Published in: Biochimie Vol. 187; pp. 83 - 93
• Main Authors: Paul, Sujay, Bravo Vázquez, Luis Alberto, Uribe, Samantha Pérez, Manzanero Cárdenas, Luis Aarón, Ruíz Aguilar, María Fernanda, Chakraborty, Samik, Sharma, Ashutosh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.08.2021
• Subjects: Carbohydrate metabolism; Gene regulation; Lipid metabolism; Metabolic disorders; MicroRNAs; miRNA therapeutics; Mitochondrial miRNAs; MicroRNAs; Gene regulation; miRNA therapeutics; Carbohydrate metabolism; Lipid metabolism; Mitochondrial miRNAs; Metabolic disorders
• ISSN: 0300-9084; 1638-6183
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2021.05.015

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small (∼21 nucleotides), endogenous, non-coding RNA molecules implicated in the post-transcriptional gene regulation performed through target mRNA cleavage or translational inhibition. In recent years, several investigations have demonstrated that miRNAs are involved in regulating both carbohydrate and lipid homeostasis in humans and other organisms. Moreover, it has been observed that the dysregulation of these metabolism-related miRNAs leads to the development of several metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver, insulin resistance, and hyperlipidemia. Hence, in this current review, with the aim to impulse the research arena of the micro-transcriptome implications in vital metabolic pathways as well as to highlight the remarkable potential of miRNAs as therapeutic targets for metabolic disorders in humans, we provide an overview of the regulatory roles of metabolism-associated miRNAs in humans and murine models. [Display omitted] •MiRNAs regulate multiple stages of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in humans.•Dysregulation of metabolism-related miRNAs triggers the development of metabolic disorders.•MiRNAs own a noteworthy therapeutic potential for metabolic disorders.