title: Energizing miRNA research: a review of the role of miRNAs in lipid metabolism, with a prediction that miR-103/107 regulates human metabolic pathways.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are powerful regulators of gene expression. Although first discovered in worm larvae, miRNAs play fundamental biological roles-including in humans-well beyond development. MiRNAs participate in the regulation of metabolism (including lipid metabolism) for all animal species studied. A review of the fascinating and fast-growing literature on miRNA regulation of metabolism can be parsed into three main categories: (1) adipocyte biochemistry and cell fate determination; (2) regulation of metabolic biochemistry in invertebrates; and (3) regulation of metabolic biochemistry in mammals. Most research into the 'function' of a given miRNA in metabolic pathways has concentrated on a given miRNA acting upon a particular 'target' mRNA. Whereas in some biological contexts the effects of a given miRNA:mRNA pair may predominate, this might not be the case generally. In order to provide an example of how a single miRNA could regulate multiple 'target' mRNAs or even entire human metabolic pathways, we include a discussion of metabolic pathways that are predicted to be regulated by the miRNA paralogs, miR-103 and miR-107. These miRNAs, which exist in vertebrate genomes within introns of the pantothenate kinase (PANK) genes, are predicted by bioinformatics to affect multiple mRNA targets in pathways that involve cellular Acetyl-CoA and lipid levels. Significantly, PANK enzymes also affect these pathways, so the miRNA and 'host' gene may act synergistically. These predictions require experimental verification. In conclusion, a review of the literature on miRNA regulation of metabolism leads us believe that the future will provide researchers with many additional energizing revelations.
authors.affiliation: Sanders-Brown Center on Aging and Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
authors.forename: Bernard R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Wilfred
authors.forename: Wang-Xia
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Peter T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000105:Acetyl Coenzyme A / Q000378:metabolism; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000502:physiology*; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000105:Acetyl Coenzyme A; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor); C023088:pantothenate kinase