MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, single-stranded, noncoding RNAs of approximately 21 to 23 nucleotides in length. Owing to their regulation of gene expression and many physiological processes including fat metabolism, they have become a popular research topic in recent years; however, the exact functional mechanisms by which they regulate fat metabolism have not been fully elucidated. Here, we identified miR-15a, which specifically acquired the 3' untranslated region (UTR) containing 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase (ABAT), and validated the regulation of its expression and involvement in adipogenesis mechanisms. We used a dual-luciferase reporter assay and transfection-mediated miR-15a overexpression and inhibition in Yanbian yellow cattle preadipocytes to investigate the role of miR-15a in adipogenesis. The results showed that miR-15a directly targets the 3'UTR of ABAT and downregulates its expression. Additionally, at the protein and mRNA levels, miR-15a overexpression using a miRNA mimic inhibited triglyceride accumulation and downregulated lipogenic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and CCAAT enhancer-binding protein α, whereas miR-15a inhibition had the opposite effect. The above results indicated that miR-15a regulated the differentiation of Yanbian yellow cattle preadipocytes by inhibiting the expression of ABAT. Furthermore, our findings suggested that miR-15a and its target gene(s) might represent new targets for investigating intramuscular fat deposits in cattle and treating human obesity.
Keywords: ABAT gene; Yanbian yellow cattle; fat metabolism; miR-15a; preadipocytes.