Tissue and circulating microRNAs as biomarkers of response to obesity treatment strategies

Abstract

Background Obesity, characterized by an increased amount of adipose tissue, is a metabolic chronic alteration which has reached pandemic proportion. Lifestyle changes are the first line therapy for obesity and a large variety of dietary approaches have demonstrated efficacy in promoting weight loss and improving obesity-related metabolic alterations. Besides diet and physical activity, bariatric surgery might be an effective therapeutic strategy for morbid obese patients. Response to weight-loss interventions is characterised by high inter-individual variability, which might involve epigenetic factors. microRNAs have critical roles in metabolic processes and their dysregulated expression has been reported in obesity. Aim The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of current studies evaluating changes in microRNA expression in obese patients undergoing lifestyle interventions or bariatric surgery. Results A considerable number of studies have reported a differential expression of circulating microRNAs before and after various dietary and bariatric surgery approaches, identifying several candidate biomarkers of response to weight loss. Significant changes in microRNA expression have been observed at a tissue level as well, with entirely different patterns between visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue. Interestingly, relevant differences in microRNA expression have emerged between responders and non-responders to dietary or surgical interventions. A wide variety of dysregulated microRNA target pathways have also been identified, helping to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying obesity and obesity-related metabolic diseases. Conclusions Although further research is needed to draw firm conclusions, there is increasing evidence about microRNAs as potential biomarkers for weight loss and response to intervention strategies in obesity.

The Role of Fatty Acids in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Progression: An Update

“…Interestingly, circulating FAs can act in a hormone-like manner on hepatocytes, and some of them (e.g., oleic acid or cyclopropaneoctanoic acid 2-hexyl) can induce hepatic lipogenesis [60,61]. Recent studies indicated that some regulators of FA metabolism, such as peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptor α (PPAR-α) and sirtuin-1 (SIRT1), are targets of several miRNAs [62,63], suggesting that certain epigenetic mechanisms may also contribute to NAFLD-related hepatic lipid alterations.…”

Recent Update on the Molecular Mechanisms of Gonadal Steroids Action in Adipose Tissue

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“…Moreover, the expression of aquaporin isoforms associated with metabolic diseases is also regulated by microRNAs [ 284 ]. Studies describing the regulation of microRNAs expression by gonadal steroids [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ] and the association of microRNAs with metabolic diseases [ 277 , 278 , 279 , 280 , 281 , 283 , 284 , 285 ], allowed to identify the most important microRNAs in metabolic diseases which expression level may be regulated by sex hormones ( Table 2 ).…”

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