Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
NSF-Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2021 Jun;22(6):425-438. doi: 10.1038/s41580-021-00354-w. Epub 2021 Mar 26.
In animals, systemic control of metabolism is conducted by metabolic tissues and relies on the regulated circulation of a plethora of molecules, such as hormones and lipoprotein complexes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of post-transcriptional gene repressors that are present throughout the animal kingdom and have been widely associated with the regulation of gene expression in various contexts, including virtually all aspects of systemic control of metabolism. Here we focus on glucose and lipid metabolism and review current knowledge of the role of miRNAs in their systemic regulation. We survey miRNA-mediated regulation of healthy metabolism as well as the contribution of miRNAs to metabolic dysfunction in disease, particularly diabetes, obesity and liver disease. Although most miRNAs act on the tissue they are produced in, it is now well established that miRNAs can also circulate in bodily fluids, including their intercellular transport by extracellular vesicles, and we discuss the role of such extracellular miRNAs in systemic metabolic control and as potential biomarkers of metabolic status and metabolic disease.
在动物中，代谢的系统控制是由代谢组织进行的，依赖于大量分子（如激素和脂蛋白复合物）的调节循环。微小 RNA（miRNA）是一类转录后基因抑制剂，存在于整个动物界，与各种情况下的基因表达调控广泛相关，包括代谢系统控制的几乎所有方面。在这里，我们专注于葡萄糖和脂质代谢，并综述 miRNA 在其系统调节中的作用的最新知识。我们调查了 miRNA 介导的健康代谢调节以及 miRNA 对疾病（特别是糖尿病、肥胖症和肝病）中代谢功能障碍的贡献。尽管大多数 miRNA 作用于它们产生的组织，但现在已经证实，miRNA 也可以在体液中循环，包括通过细胞外囊泡进行细胞间运输，我们讨论了这种细胞外 miRNA 在系统代谢控制中的作用以及作为代谢状态和代谢疾病潜在生物标志物的作用。
