open access

Vol 72, No 1 (2021)
Review paper
Submitted: 2020-12-19
Accepted: 2020-12-20
Published online: 2021-02-26
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Expression of miRNA in obesity and insulin resistance: a review

Paulina Estrella Ibarra12, Pablo García-Solís2, Juan Carlos Solís-Sáinz2, Andrés Cruz-Hernández3
·
Pubmed: 33749820
·
Endokrynol Pol 2021;72(1):73-80.
Affiliations
  1. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Prados de La Capilla, Queretaro, Mexico, Juriquilla, Qro., Mexico
  2. School of Natural Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Juriquilla, Queretaro, Mexico
  3. Agronomy school, De La Salle Bajio University, León, Guanajuato, Mexico

open access

Vol 72, No 1 (2021)
Review Article
Submitted: 2020-12-19
Accepted: 2020-12-20
Published online: 2021-02-26

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are part of the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate gene expression at a post-transcriptional level. This review describes some miRNAs whose expression is modified in obesity and that may be involved in the development of insulin resistance. The metabolic alterations associated with obesity are due to an adipose tissue dysfunction. miRNAs are a mechanism that regulates gene expression, one miRNA can regulate the expression up to a thousand genes, and at the same time one gene can be regulated by several miRNAs; moreover, miRNA expression is tissue specific. Obesity leads to a dysregulation of miRNA expression in adipose tissue, and changes in miRNA expression relate to changes in gene expression related to the development of insulin resistance. However, because miRNA can be exported to the extracellular medium through exosomes, proteins, and lipoproteins, miRNA can be found in extracellular fluids like blood, urine, saliva, and cerebrospinal fluid. Considering the above, miRNA have been proposed as biological markers of different
diseases, and also as potential therapeutic targets. 

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are part of the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate gene expression at a post-transcriptional level. This review describes some miRNAs whose expression is modified in obesity and that may be involved in the development of insulin resistance. The metabolic alterations associated with obesity are due to an adipose tissue dysfunction. miRNAs are a mechanism that regulates gene expression, one miRNA can regulate the expression up to a thousand genes, and at the same time one gene can be regulated by several miRNAs; moreover, miRNA expression is tissue specific. Obesity leads to a dysregulation of miRNA expression in adipose tissue, and changes in miRNA expression relate to changes in gene expression related to the development of insulin resistance. However, because miRNA can be exported to the extracellular medium through exosomes, proteins, and lipoproteins, miRNA can be found in extracellular fluids like blood, urine, saliva, and cerebrospinal fluid. Considering the above, miRNA have been proposed as biological markers of different
diseases, and also as potential therapeutic targets. 

Get Citation

Keywords

obesity; microRNA; insulin resistance; adipose tissue; epigenetics

About this article
Title

Expression of miRNA in obesity and insulin resistance: a review

Journal

Endokrynologia Polska

Issue

Vol 72, No 1 (2021)

Article type

Review paper

Pages

73-80

Published online

2021-02-26

Page views

2578

Article views/downloads

2156

DOI

10.5603/EP.a2021.0002

Pubmed

33749820

Bibliographic record

Endokrynol Pol 2021;72(1):73-80.

Keywords

obesity
microRNA
insulin resistance
adipose tissue
epigenetics

Authors

Paulina Estrella Ibarra
Pablo García-Solís
Juan Carlos Solís-Sáinz
Andrés Cruz-Hernández

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