Procyanidins modulate microRNA expression in pancreatic islets

J Agric Food Chem. 2013 Jan 16;61(2):355-63. doi: 10.1021/jf303972f. Epub 2013 Jan 4.

Abstract

Procyanidins modulate glucose metabolism, partly due to its effects on pancreas. Given the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the regulation of diabetes and the fact that flavonoids modulate miRNAs in other tissues, we hypothesized that procyanidins might target miRNAs in the pancreas. We investigated the miRNA expression profile in pancreatic islets isolated from rats treated with a daily dose of grape seed procyanidin extract (GSPE) (25 mg/kg of body weight) for 45 days. The miRWalk database identified putative target genes of these miRNAs. We found that GSPE altered significantly the expression of miR-1249, miR-483, miR-30c-1*, and miR-3544. In silico prediction studies suggested that ion transport and response to glucose are among the regulated pathways. As a conclusion, this is the first study showing that procyanidins can also exert their bioactivity on pancreatic islets by modifying the miRNA expression pattern.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Computational Biology
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Down-Regulation*
  • Expert Systems
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Grape Seed Extract / metabolism*
  • Islets of Langerhans / cytology
  • Islets of Langerhans / metabolism*
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Proanthocyanidins / metabolism*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Up-Regulation*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Grape Seed Extract
  • Grape Seed Proanthocyanidins
  • MicroRNAs
  • Proanthocyanidins