Research
Hormonal
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate adipogenesis and obesity by accelerating or inhibiting adipocyte differentiation and regulating fat cell numbers through post-transcriptional gene silencing.
Research into microRNAs (miRNAs) offers potential new therapeutic targets for obesity by regulating how fat cells develop and store fat. While no direct lifestyle intervention is prescribed, understanding these molecular mechanisms is crucial for developing future anti-obesity drugs.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
During adipogenesis miRNAs can accelerate or inhibit adipocyte differentiation and hence regulate fat cell development. In addition miRNAs may regulate adipogenic lineage commitment in multipotent stem cells and hence govern fat cell numbers.
Why this rating
The paper is a review summarizing various studies, including mouse and human models, but notes that many targets remain unvalidated in humans.
Source
microRNAs in the Regulation of Adipogenesis and Obesity
Robin A. McGregor et al. · Current Molecular Medicine · 2011
DOI 10.2174/156652411795677990
narrative_reviewCited 283×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Specific microRNAs, such as miR-27 and miR-519d, target PPAR family members, which are well-established regulators of fat cell development.Moderate
- miR-143 accelerates adipocyte differentiation and triglyceride accumulation, and its inhibition may slow down adipocyte differentiation and lipid droplet formation.Moderate
- miR-27a and miR-27b suppress adipocyte differentiation by targeting PPARγ, and lower miR-27a expression in obese mice may be necessary for adipocyte hypertrophy.Moderate
Related findings · Hormonal
- Initial treatment for type 2 diabetes should be a combination of metformin and either an SGLT-2 inhibitor or a GLP-1 receptor agonist to achieve cardiorenal protection, rather than monotherapy or older agents like sulfonylureas.Strong
- For patients with specific monogenic obesity syndromes (leptin deficiency, POMC/PCSK1/LEPR mutations), targeted pharmacotherapy (recombinant leptin or setmelanotide) is highly effective and should be prioritized, unlike in polygenic obesity.Strong
- Continued weekly administration of 2.4 mg subcutaneous semaglutide prevents weight regain and promotes further weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, whereas switching to placebo results in significant weight regain.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →