Department of Surgery, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Obes Rev. 2010 May;11(5):354-61. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2009.00659.x. Epub 2009 Sep 29.
Obesity and the metabolic syndrome are major public health concerns, and present a formidable therapeutic challenge. Many patients remain recalcitrant to conventional lifestyle changes and medical therapies. Bariatric surgery has made laudable progress in the treatment of obesity and its related metabolic disorders, yet carries inherent risks. Unravelling the molecular mechanisms of metabolic disorders is essential in order to develop novel, valid therapeutic strategies. Mi(cro)RNAs play important regulatory roles in a variety of biological processes including adipocyte differentiation, metabolic integration, insulin resistance and appetite regulation. Investigation of these molecules and their genetic targets may potentially identify new pathways involved in complex metabolic disease processes, improving our understanding of metabolic disorders and influence future approaches to the treatment of obesity. This review discusses the role of miRNAs in obesity and related components of the metabolic syndrome, and highlights the potential of using miRNAs as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for these diseases.
肥胖症和代谢综合征是主要的公共卫生关注点，也是一个严峻的治疗挑战。许多患者仍然对传统的生活方式改变和药物治疗有抵触。减重手术在治疗肥胖症及其相关代谢紊乱方面取得了可喜的进展，但也存在固有风险。揭示代谢紊乱的分子机制对于开发新的、有效的治疗策略至关重要。mi(cro)RNAs 在多种生物学过程中发挥着重要的调节作用，包括脂肪细胞分化、代谢整合、胰岛素抵抗和食欲调节。对这些分子及其遗传靶标的研究可能潜在地确定了参与复杂代谢疾病过程的新途径，增进了我们对代谢紊乱的理解，并影响了未来治疗肥胖症的方法。本文讨论了 miRNAs 在肥胖症和代谢综合征相关成分中的作用，并强调了将 miRNAs 用作这些疾病的新型生物标志物和治疗靶点的潜力。
