MicroRNA调控多不饱和脂肪酸合成关键酶研究进展

Advances in MicroRNA regulating polyunsaturated fatty acid synthase

microRNA(miRNA)是生物体内自然存在的一种非编码小RNA,能够靶向调控众多基因的表达,进而参与多种生命活动的调节。脊椎动物体内长链多不饱和脂肪酸(LC-PUFA)的生物合成,如花生四烯酸(ARA;20∶4n-6)、二十碳五烯酸(EPA;20∶5n-3)和二十二碳六烯酸(DHA;22∶6n-3)等脂肪酸合成需要脂肪酰基去饱和酶(Fads)的催化。早已有研究表明,中国地方猪种肉质优于瘦肉型猪种,究其原因是中国地方猪种肌肉和脂肪中含有大量不饱和脂肪酸等风味物质。然而LC-PUFA研究是一个蓬勃发展的领域,主要集中在人类健康方面,但对于猪肉中LCPUFA生物合成关键酶转录后水平调控机制还没有形成一个完整的观点。miRNA可能参与转录后水平的脂质代谢调控。然而,它们是否影响了LC-PUFA生物合成途径中的作用尚不清楚。文章综述了一些靶向关键去饱和酶和延长酶的miRNA在调控动物LC-PUFA合成的表达模式和调控机制。

MicroRNA(miRNA)is a kind of non-coding small RNA that exists naturally in organisms and can target and regulate the expression of many genes,thus participating in the regulation of various life activities.Biosynthesis of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids(LC-PUFA)in vertebrates,such as arachidonic acid(ARA;20∶4n-6),eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA;20∶5n-3)and docosahexaenoic acid(DHA;22∶6 n-3)acids require the catalysis of fatty acyl desaturation enzyme(Fads).Although the research on LC-PUFA is a booming field,mainly in terms of human health,there is still no complete view to be formed on post-transcriptional regulation mechanism of key LCPUFA biosynthesis enzyme in pork.Recent studies have suggested that miRNAs may be involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism at the post-transcriptional level.However,it is unclear whether they affect the role of the LC-PUFA biosynthetic pathway.This paper reviews the expression patterns and regulatory mechanisms of some miRNAs targeting key desaturase and elongase in the regulation of LC-PUFA synthesis in animals.