High fructose exposure modifies the amount of adipocyte-secreted microRNAs into extracellular vesicles in supernatants and plasma

PeerJ. 2021 May 19:9:e11305. doi: 10.7717/peerj.11305. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Background: High fructose exposure induces metabolic and endocrine responses in adipose tissue. Recent evidence suggests that microRNAs in extracellular vesicles are endocrine signals secreted by adipocytes. Fructose exposure on the secretion of microRNA by tissues and cells is poorly studied. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of fructose exposure on the secretion of selected microRNAs in extracellular vesicles from 3T3-L1 cells and plasma from Wistar rats.

Methods: 3T3-L1 cells were exposed to 550 µM of fructose or standard media for four days, microRNAs levels were determined in extracellular vesicles of supernatants and cells by RT-qPCR. Wistar rats were exposed to either 20% fructose drink or tap water for eight weeks, microRNAs levels were determined in extracellular vesicles of plasma and adipose tissue by RT-qPCR.

Results: This study showed that fructose exposure increased the total number of extracellular vesicles released by 3T3-L1 cells (p = 0.0001). The levels of miR-143-5p were increased in extracellular vesicles of 3T3-L1 cells exposed to fructose (p = 0.0286), whereas miR-223-3p levels were reduced (p = 0.0286). Moreover, in plasma-derived extracellular vesicles, miR-143-5p was higher in fructose-fed rats (p = 0.001), whereas miR-223-3p (p = 0.022), miR-342-3p (p = 0.0011), miR-140-5p (p = 0.0129) and miR-146b-5p (p = 0.0245) were lower.

Conclusion: Fructose exposure modifies the levels of microRNAs in extracellular vesicles in vitro and in vivo. In particular, fructose exposure increases miR-143-5p, while decreases miR-223-3p and miR-342-3p.

Keywords: Adipocytes; Adipose tissue; Extracellular Vesicles; Fructose; microRNA.

Grants and funding

The research received financial support from a scholarship from the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT 492169) was received by Adrian Hernandez-Diazcouder. The costs of cell cultures were covered by Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa. Finally, the costs of qPCR experiments and publishing in open access were covered by the Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez. Eduardo Martínez-Martínez received funding support from the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CB-258589). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.