Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany.
Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany.
Pharmacol Ther. 2017 Feb;170:1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2016.10.004. Epub 2016 Oct 11.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules consisting of approximately 20 to 22 nucleotides. They play a very important role in the regulation of gene expression. miRNAs can be found in different species and a variety of organs and tissues including adipose tissue. There are two types of adipose tissue in mammals: White adipose tissue (WAT) is the largest energy storage, whereas brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipates energy to maintain body temperature. BAT was first identified in hibernating animals and newborns as a defense against cold. Later on, it was also discovered in human adults, suggesting its potential role in energy balance and metabolism. Moreover, "brown-like" adipocytes present in WAT depots, so called beige or brite (brown-in-white) cells, were discovered by several groups. In recent years, miRNAs were found to have important regulatory function during brown fat differentiation, brown fat activation and white fat "browning". In this review, we focus on the regulation of brown and beige fat by miRNAs including the role in their differentiation and function, providing evidence for their therapeutic potential in metabolic diseases.
微小 RNA（miRNA）是由大约 20 到 22 个核苷酸组成的小非编码 RNA 分子。它们在基因表达调控中起着非常重要的作用。miRNA 可以在不同物种和多种器官组织中找到，包括脂肪组织。哺乳动物中有两种脂肪组织：白色脂肪组织（WAT）是最大的能量储存组织，而棕色脂肪组织（BAT）则消耗能量以维持体温。BAT 最初在冬眠动物和新生儿中被发现，作为对抗寒冷的一种防御机制。后来，人们也在成年人体内发现了 BAT，表明其在能量平衡和代谢中的潜在作用。此外，几个研究小组发现，WAT 储存库中存在“棕色样”脂肪细胞，即所谓的米色或 brite（白色中的棕色）细胞。近年来，研究发现 miRNA 在棕色脂肪分化、棕色脂肪激活和白色脂肪“棕色化”过程中具有重要的调节功能。在这篇综述中，我们重点介绍了 miRNA 对棕色和米色脂肪的调节作用，包括它们在分化和功能中的作用，为它们在代谢性疾病中的治疗潜力提供了证据。
