Metabolomics Phenotypes of Adipose Tissues from miR-378 Transgenic Mice

Wang Ruiting¹, Song Yipeng², Li Changyin¹, Li Hu¹, Jia Haixue¹, Han Wanhong¹, Zhao Yixia¹, Tang Huiru³*, Zhang Yong¹*

(¹The state Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100005, China;²Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China; ³State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Zhongshan Hospital and School of Life Sciences, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China)

Abstract:

microRNAs are small noncoding RNAs with profound physiological functions in regulating cellular metabolism, development and diseases. We have previously demonstrated that microRNA-378 (miR-378) regulates lipolysis in adipose tissues by targeting stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (Scd1). To further understand miR- 378-mediated metabolic pathway(s) in adipose tissues, we analyzed the metabolic phenotypes of the adipose tissues from miR-378 transgenic mice (Tg) and wild type littermates (Wt) using the NMR-based metabonomics approach including brown adipose tissue (BAT), gonadal white adipose tissue (gWAT) and inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT). The content of glycerophosphate choline, choline and malonic acid were higher in BAT adipose tissue from miR-378 Tg mice than that from Wt littermates. The content of taurine, malonic acid and hypoflavin were higher in gWAT adipose tissue from the Tg than that from Wt mice. The content of metabolites such as taurine, glycine, glutamic acid and malonic acid were higher, while lipid, adenine nucleoside (AMP), nucleoside diphosphate (ADP) and nucleoside triphosphate (ATP) were lower in iWAT adipose tissue of the Tg mice than that of Wt littermates. In general, we found that several lipid species were significantly reduced in miR-378 Tg mice compared to the Wt littermates, whereas lipolysis and amino acids metabolism were enhanced in the Tg mice compared to the Wt littermates. Together, our experimental data reveal that miR-378 plays important roles in regulating metabolisms of lipids and amino acids in adipose tissues.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2019.07.0018