title: miRNA regulation of LDL-cholesterol metabolism.
abstract: In the past decade, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as key regulators of circulating levels of lipoproteins. Specifically, recent work has uncovered the role of miRNAs in controlling the levels of atherogenic low-density lipoprotein LDL (LDL)-cholesterol by post-transcriptionally regulating genes involved in very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) secretion, cholesterol biosynthesis, and hepatic LDL receptor (LDLR) expression. Interestingly, several of these miRNAs are located in genomic loci associated with abnormal levels of circulating lipids in humans. These findings reinforce the interest of targeting this subset of non-coding RNAs as potential therapeutic avenues for regulating plasma cholesterol and triglyceride (TAG) levels. In this review, we will discuss how these new miRNAs represent potential pre-disposition factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and putative therapeutic targets in patients with cardiometabolic disorders. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: MicroRNAs and lipid/energy metabolism and related diseases edited by Carlos Fernández-Hernando and Yajaira Suárez.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Integrative Cell Signaling and Neurobiology of Metabolism Program, Section of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Leigh
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goedeke
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Cancer Research, Charlestown, MA, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wagschal
authors.affiliation: Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Integrative Cell Signaling and Neurobiology of Metabolism Program, Section of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. Electronic address: carlos.fernandez@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fernández-Hernando
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Cancer Research, Charlestown, MA, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: NAAR@helix.mgh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Anders M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Näär
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000235:genetics; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D035683:MicroRNAs; D011973:Receptors, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: GWAS; LDL; LDLR; cholesterol; lipid; miRNA