Regulatory networks of non-coding RNAs in brown/beige adipogenesis.
BAT (brown adipose tissue) is specialized to burn fatty acids for heat generation and energy expenditure to defend against cold and obesity. Accumulating studies have demonstrated that manipulation of BAT activity through various strategies can regulate metabolic homoeostasis and lead to a healthy phenotype. Two classes of ncRNA (non-coding RNA), miRNA and lncRNA (long non-coding RNA), play crucial roles in gene regulation during tissue development and remodelling. In the present review, we summarize recent findings on regulatory role of distinct ncRNAs in brown/beige adipocytes, and discuss how these ncRNA regulatory networks contribute to brown/beige fat development, differentiation and function. We suggest that targeting ncRNAs could be an attractive approach to enhance BAT activity for protecting the body against obesity and its pathological consequences.
Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders Program, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore 169857, Singapore School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, 443 Huangshan Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027, P.R. China.
Shaohai
S
Xu
Division of Bioengineering, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637457.
Peng
P
Chen
Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders Program, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore 169857, Singapore Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Singapore sun.lei@duke-nus.edu.sg.
Lei
L
Sun
D050156:Adipogenesis; D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics*; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000235:genetics*
D022661:RNA, Untranslated
brown/beige adipocyte; lncRNA; miRNA; obesity