AUTHOR=Roglia Valentina , Potestà Marina , Minchella Alessandra , Bruno Stefania Paola , Bernardini Roberta , Lettieri-Barbato Daniele , Iacovelli Federico , Gismondi Angelo , Aquilano Katia , Canini Antonella , Muleo Rosario , Colizzi Vittorio , Mattei Maurizio , Minutolo Antonella , Montesano Carla 

TITLE=Exogenous miRNAs from Moringa oleifera Lam. recover a dysregulated lipid metabolism

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/molecular-biosciences/articles/10.3389/fmolb.2022.1012359

DOI=10.3389/fmolb.2022.1012359

ISSN=2296-889X

ABSTRACT=<p>A balanced diet is critical for human health, and edible plants play an important role in providing essential micronutrients as well as specific microRNAs (miRNAs) that can regulate human gene expression. Here we present the effects of <italic>Moringa oleifera</italic> (MO) miRNAs (<italic>mol</italic>-miRs) on lipid metabolism. Through <italic>in silico</italic> studies we identified the potential genes involved in lipid metabolism targeted by <italic>mol</italic>-miRs. To this end, we tested the efficacy of an aqueous extract of MO seeds (MOES), as suggested in traditional African ethnomedicine, or its purified miRNAs. The biological properties of MO preparations were investigated using a human derived hepatoma cell line (HepG2) as a model. MOES treatment decreased intracellular lipid accumulation and induced apoptosis in HepG2. In the same cell line, transfection with <italic>mol</italic>-miRs showed similar effects to MOES. Moreover, the effect of the <italic>mo</italic>l-miR pool was investigated in a pre-obese mouse model, in which treatment with <italic>mol</italic>-miRs was able to prevent dysregulation of lipid metabolism.</p>