Role of microRNA-22 in differentiation of brown adipocytes and in browning of white adipose tissue

• Grant number: 18/10338-2
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: November 01, 2018 - April 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - General Physiology
• Principal researcher: Gabriela Placoná Diniz
• Grantee: Gabriela Placoná Diniz
• Home Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In the last decade, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased in several countries, including in Brazil. The excess of white adipose tissue (WAT) is the main risk factor associated with the development of several pathologies in obese individuals, such as type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia and cardiovascular diseases. The main function of WAT is to store energy in tryglicerids. On the other hand, the brown adipose tissue (BAT) presents opposite actions to those exerted by WAT due to its high thermogenic activity. Recent studies have shown that cells of the WAT, after certain stimuli, can present carachteristics of brown adipocytes. This process, known as browning of WAT, increases the energy expenditure, reduces adiposity and the risk of development of several diseases associated to obesity. In this sense, several studies have suggested that stimulation of brown adipocyte differentiation or the activation of browning in WAT may be used as novel terapeutic strategies in the treatment of pathologies associated to obesity. A recent study of our laboratory demonstrated that deletion of miRNA-22 attenuated the WAT gain, prevented dyslipidemia and increased energy expenditure in response to high fat diet (Diniz et al., 2017). However, the possible mechanisms by which miRNA-22 controls the increase of WAT and the energy expenditure are not fully understood. In this sense, the present project aims to characterize the contribution of miRNA-22 in the browning of WAT and differentiation of brown adipocytes. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LIMA, VANESSA M.; LIU, JIANMING; BRANDAO, BRUNA B.; LINO, CAROLINE A.; SILVA, CAMILA S. BALBINO; RIBEIRO, MARCIO A. C.; OLIVEIRA, TIAGO E.; REAL, CAROLINE C.; FARIA, DANIELE DE PAULA; CEDERQUIST, CARLY; et al. miRNA-22 deletion limits white adipose expansion and activates brown fat to attenuate high-fat diet-induced fat mass accumulation. METABOLISM-CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL, v. 117, APR 2021. (17/01558-6, 15/21859-5, 18/10338-2, 17/26528-2)

LIMA, VANESSA M.; LINO, CAROLINE A.; SENGER, NATHALIA; SILVA, TABATHA DE OLIVEIRA; FONSECA, RENATA I. B.; BADER, MICHAEL; SANTOS, ROBSON A. S.; DONATO JUNIOR, JOSE; BARRETO-CHAVES, MARIA LUIZA M.; DINIZ, GABRIELA P.. Angiotensin II type 2 receptor mediates high fat diet-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and hypercholesterolemia. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, v. 498, DEC 1 2019. (15/21859-5, 18/10338-2)