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Role of microRNA-21 in regulating 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and adiponectin expression

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MicroRNAs are endogenous small RNAs with a high degree of conservation, participating in a variety of vital activities. In present study, to explore the effect of microRNAs on 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and adiponectin expression, the adipo-related microRNAs were screened and identified by micorRNA microarray. The highly expression plasmid of microRNA-21 with obvious expression up-regulation (miR-21) and its anti-sense (miR-21 inhibitor) were constructed and transfected into 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The effect of miR-21 on 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation was observed, and the protein and mRNA expression level of adiponectin and AP-1 were analyzed. Results showed that, the expression profiles of microRNAs significantly changed during 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation. The expression of miR-21 was obviously up-regulated. miR-21 could significantly promote adipocyte differentiation, increase adiponectin mRNA and protein expression, while decrease AP-1 protein level. Meanwhil, miR-21 inhibitor blocked the effects of miR-21 mentioned above. The overexpression of AP-1 could absolutely reverse the stimulatory effect of miR-21 on adiponectin. miR-21 plays an important role in regulating adipocyte differentiation and adiponectin expression by inhibiting AP-1 expression.

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Acknowledgments

The work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30871186), and the Research Foundation of the Education Department of Guangxi Province, China (No. 2013YB049).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiotherapy, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China

    Min Kang & An-Zhou Tang

  2. Center of Biochemistry, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China

    Li-Mei Yan

  3. College of Pharmacology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China

    Wen-Yu Zhang, Yu-Mei Li & He-Sheng Ou

Authors
  1. Min Kang
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  2. Li-Mei Yan
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  3. Wen-Yu Zhang
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  4. Yu-Mei Li
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Correspondence to An-Zhou Tang or He-Sheng Ou.

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First author equivalent: Min Kang and Li-Mei Yan.

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Kang, M., Yan, LM., Zhang, WY. et al. Role of microRNA-21 in regulating 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and adiponectin expression. Mol Biol Rep 40, 5027–5034 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-013-2603-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-013-2603-6

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