微小RNA与脂质代谢

MicroRNA and lipid metabolism

摘要:

目的：微小RNA（MicroRNA）是一类单链非编码小分子RNA，在进化上具有高度保守性。microRNA参与调控转录后水平的基因表达，通常与靶mRNA的3’非翻译区（Untranslated region，UTR）互补结合，抑制靶基因的表达。研究发现，microRNA与脂质代谢密切相关，其中，肝脏中含量最多的microRNA为miR-122，miR-122对于维持肝细胞的正常形态及功能有很重要的作用，miR-33在胞内胆固醇外排、脂肪酸β氧化和高密度脂蛋白代谢方面也发挥着很重要的作用。这些重要的研究结果表明，microRNA参与维持了脂质内稳态，有可能成为临床上治疗脂代谢紊乱的新途径。

Abstract:

【Abstract】MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs，single stranded in the mature form. microRNAs are post-transcriptional regulators that bind to complementary sequences on target mRNAs，usually resulting in translational repression or target degradation and gene si－lencing. Recent advances in the understanding of lipid metabolism have revealed that microRNAs play major roles in regulating cholesterol and fatty acid homeostasis. MiR-122，the most abundant microRNAs in the liver，is associated with cholesterol metabolism and hepatocellular carcinoma. MiR-33 regulates cholesterol efflux，fatty acid β oxidation，and high-density lipoprotein metabolism. These findings show that microRNAs play an important role in lipid homeostasis and potentially open new avenues for the treatment of dyslipidemias.