Human miR-1 Stimulates Metabolic and Thermogenic-Related Genes in Adipocytes.

MicroRNAs play a pivotal role in the regulation of adipose tissue function and have emerged as promising therapeutic candidates for the management of obesity and associated comorbidities. Among them, miR-1 could be a potential biomarker for metabolic diseases and contribute to metabolic homeostasis. However, thorough research is required to fully elucidate the impact of miR-1 on human adipocyte thermogenesis and metabolism. This study aimed to explore the effect of miR-1 on human adipocyte browning, a process whose activation has been linked to obesity protection and counteraction. Human multipotent adipose-derived stem cells, hMADS cells, were differentiated into white and brown-like adipocytes and transfected with miR-1 mimics for gene expression and western blotting analyses. miR-1 inhibited the expression of its previously validated target / and modulated the expression profile of key genes involved in thermogenesis and adipocyte browning (increased at mRNA and protein level, increased , decreased ), adipocyte differentiation and metabolism (decreased , , , , , ), as well as genes related to the cytoskeleton (decreased ) and extracellular matrix (decreased ). These findings suggest that miR-1 can modulate the expression of adipocyte human genes associated with thermogenesis and metabolism, which could hold value for eventual therapeutic potential in obesity.