title: Shortcuts to a functional adipose tissue: The role of small non-coding RNAs.
abstract: Metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes are a major public health issue worldwide. These diseases are often linked to a dysfunctional adipose tissue. Fat is a large, heterogenic, pleiotropic and rather complex tissue. It is found in virtually all cavities of the human body, shows unique plasticity among tissues, and harbors many cell types in addition to its main functional unit - the adipocyte. Adipose tissue function varies depending on the localization of the fat depot, the cell composition of the tissue and the energy status of the organism. While the white adipose tissue (WAT) serves as the main site for triglyceride storage and acts as an important endocrine organ, the brown adipose tissue (BAT) is responsible for thermogenesis. Beige adipocytes can also appear in WAT depots to sustain heat production upon certain conditions, and it is becoming clear that adipose tissue depots can switch phenotypes depending on cell autonomous and non-autonomous stimuli. To maintain such degree of plasticity and respond adequately to changes in the energy balance, three basic processes need to be properly functioning in the adipose tissue: i) adipogenesis and adipocyte turnover, ii) metabolism, and iii) signaling. Here we review the fundamental role of small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) in these processes, with focus on microRNAs, and demonstrate their importance in adipose tissue function and whole body metabolic control in mammals.
authors.affiliation: Program in Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruna B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Brandão
authors.affiliation: Program in Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Beatriz A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.affiliation: Program in Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil; Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil. Electronic address: morima@unicamp.br.
authors.forename: Marcelo A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mori
mesh_terms: D050156:Adipogenesis; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000069796:Adipose Tissue, Beige / Q000378:metabolism; D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000378:metabolism; D052436:Adipose Tissue, White / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated / Q000235:genetics*; D022722:Thermogenesis
chemical_list: D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated
keywords: Adipose tissue; Diabetes; MicroRNAs; Obesity; Small non-coding RNAs