Role of microRNA biogenesis in adipocyte and lipodystrophy.

The detailed mechanism underlying adipocyte development and function remains to be fully understood. MicroRNAs are a class of non-coding regulators in adipocyte development and function in physiological and pathological conditions. Our recent study(11) using adipose-specific dgcr8 knockout mice demonstrates that microRNA biogenesis has a depot-specific function in adipose and plays an important role in brown adipocyte feature maintenance. Interestingly, in a parallel study from Kahn's group, Mori et al observed similar phenotypes in adipose-specific Dicer knockout mice. This study also reveals that the expression of Dicer is downregulated in the adipose from patients with HIV-associated lipodystrophy (HALS), suggesting that dysregulation of microRNA biogenesis may play a role in the onset of HALS.