Comprehensive functional screening of miRNAs involved in human fat cell insulin sensitivity

The aim of this study was to detect and functionally investigate miRNAs linked to insulin sensitivity in human subcutaneous white adipose tissue (scWAT). Subjects were selected based on the insulin-stimulated lipogenesis response of subcutaneous adipocytes. Eleven miRNAs displayed differential expression between OIR and OIS states. Overexpression of miR-143-3p and miR-652-3p increased insulin-stimulated lipogenesis in human in vitro-differentiated adipocytes. MicroRNAs-143-3p and -652-3p are linked to scWAT insulin resistance independently of obesity. Global miRNA profiling by array was performed in abdominal scWAT of obese insulin resistance (OIR), obese insulin sensitive (OIS) and lean women. Signicance analysis of microarrays (SAM) was use to compare the difference in gene expression between groups.MicroRNAs demonstrating differential expression between OIR and OIS women were overexpressed in human in vitro-differentiated adipocytes followed by assessment of lipogenesis and identification of miRNA targets by measuring mRNA/protein expression and 3’UTR analysis.