title: New emerging tasks for microRNAs in the control of β-cell activities.
abstract: MicroRNAs are key regulators of β-cell physiology. They participate to the differentiation of insulin-producing cells and are instrumental for the acquisition of their unique secretory properties. Moreover, they contribute to the adaptation of β-cells to conditions of increased insulin demand and, if expressed at inappropriate levels, certain microRNAs cause β-cell dysfunction and promote the development of different forms of diabetes mellitus. While these functions are increasingly better understood, additional tasks for these small non-coding RNAs have been recently unveiled. Thus, microRNAs are emerging as signaling molecules of a novel exosome-mediated cell-to-cell communication mode permitting a coordinated response of the β-cells to inflammatory conditions and to modifications in the insulin demand. These discoveries raise a number of important issues that once addressed promise to shed new light on the molecular mechanism governing the functions of the β-cells under normal and disease states. 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: Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Claudiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guay
authors.affiliation: Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: Romano.Regazzi@unil.ch.
authors.forename: Romano
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Regazzi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D055354:Exosomes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Diabetes; Exosome; Insulin; Islet; MicroRNA