MicroRNA Cues from Nature: A Roadmap to Decipher and Combat Challenges in Human Health and Disease?
MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNA (18–24 nt long) that fine-tune gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. With the advent of “multi-omics” analysis and sequencing approaches, they have now been implicated in every facet of basic molecular networks, including metabolism, homeostasis, and c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Cells |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/10/12/3374 |
| _version_ | 1827673483092426752 |
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| author | Gurjit Singh Kenneth B. Storey |
| author_facet | Gurjit Singh Kenneth B. Storey |
| author_sort | Gurjit Singh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNA (18–24 nt long) that fine-tune gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. With the advent of “multi-omics” analysis and sequencing approaches, they have now been implicated in every facet of basic molecular networks, including metabolism, homeostasis, and cell survival to aid cellular machinery in adapting to changing environmental cues. Many animals must endure harsh environmental conditions in nature, including cold/freezing temperatures, oxygen limitation (anoxia/hypoxia), and food or water scarcity, often requiring them to revamp their metabolic organization, frequently on a seasonal or life stage basis. MicroRNAs are important regulatory molecules in such processes, just as they are now well-known to be involved in many human responses to stress or disease. The present review outlines the role of miRNAs in natural animal models of environmental stress and adaptation including torpor/hibernation, anoxia/hypoxia tolerance, and freeze tolerance. We also discuss putative medical applications of advances in miRNA biology including organ preservation for transplant, inflammation, ageing, metabolic disorders (e.g., obesity), mitochondrial dysfunction (mitoMirs) as well as specialized miRNA subgroups respective to low temperature (CryomiRs) and low oxygen (OxymiRs). The review also covers differential regulation of conserved and novel miRNAs involved at cell, tissue, and stress specific levels across multiple species and their roles in survival. Ultimately, the species-specific comparison and conserved miRNA responses seen in evolutionarily disparate animal species can help us to understand the complex miRNA network involved in regulating and reorganizing metabolism to achieve diverse outcomes, not just in nature, but in human health and disease. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:25:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-10cf16bce01d494e89ee1c8013b53ec8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4409 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:25:27Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cells |
| spelling | doaj.art-10cf16bce01d494e89ee1c8013b53ec82023-11-23T07:36:53ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092021-11-011012337410.3390/cells10123374MicroRNA Cues from Nature: A Roadmap to Decipher and Combat Challenges in Human Health and Disease?Gurjit Singh0Kenneth B. Storey1Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, CanadaDepartment of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, CanadaMicroRNAs are small non-coding RNA (18–24 nt long) that fine-tune gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. With the advent of “multi-omics” analysis and sequencing approaches, they have now been implicated in every facet of basic molecular networks, including metabolism, homeostasis, and cell survival to aid cellular machinery in adapting to changing environmental cues. Many animals must endure harsh environmental conditions in nature, including cold/freezing temperatures, oxygen limitation (anoxia/hypoxia), and food or water scarcity, often requiring them to revamp their metabolic organization, frequently on a seasonal or life stage basis. MicroRNAs are important regulatory molecules in such processes, just as they are now well-known to be involved in many human responses to stress or disease. The present review outlines the role of miRNAs in natural animal models of environmental stress and adaptation including torpor/hibernation, anoxia/hypoxia tolerance, and freeze tolerance. We also discuss putative medical applications of advances in miRNA biology including organ preservation for transplant, inflammation, ageing, metabolic disorders (e.g., obesity), mitochondrial dysfunction (mitoMirs) as well as specialized miRNA subgroups respective to low temperature (CryomiRs) and low oxygen (OxymiRs). The review also covers differential regulation of conserved and novel miRNAs involved at cell, tissue, and stress specific levels across multiple species and their roles in survival. Ultimately, the species-specific comparison and conserved miRNA responses seen in evolutionarily disparate animal species can help us to understand the complex miRNA network involved in regulating and reorganizing metabolism to achieve diverse outcomes, not just in nature, but in human health and disease.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/10/12/3374hibernationanoxia and hypoxia tolerancefreeze toleranceOxymirsmitoMirsCryomiRs |
| spellingShingle | Gurjit Singh Kenneth B. Storey MicroRNA Cues from Nature: A Roadmap to Decipher and Combat Challenges in Human Health and Disease? Cells hibernation anoxia and hypoxia tolerance freeze tolerance Oxymirs mitoMirs CryomiRs |
| title | MicroRNA Cues from Nature: A Roadmap to Decipher and Combat Challenges in Human Health and Disease? |
| title_full | MicroRNA Cues from Nature: A Roadmap to Decipher and Combat Challenges in Human Health and Disease? |
| title_fullStr | MicroRNA Cues from Nature: A Roadmap to Decipher and Combat Challenges in Human Health and Disease? |
| title_full_unstemmed | MicroRNA Cues from Nature: A Roadmap to Decipher and Combat Challenges in Human Health and Disease? |
| title_short | MicroRNA Cues from Nature: A Roadmap to Decipher and Combat Challenges in Human Health and Disease? |
| title_sort | microrna cues from nature a roadmap to decipher and combat challenges in human health and disease |
| topic | hibernation anoxia and hypoxia tolerance freeze tolerance Oxymirs mitoMirs CryomiRs |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/10/12/3374 |
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