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PMID: 22418571 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural Review

Lipid-based carriers of microRNAs and intercellular communication.

Current opinion in lipidology ·Vol. 23 ·No. 2 ·2012-04-00 ·Pages 91-7

Vickers KC, Remaley AT

Abstract

Extracellular microRNAs (miRNAs) are uniquely stable in plasma, and the levels of specific circulating miRNAs can differ with disease. Extracellular miRNAs are associated with lipid-based carriers and lipid-free proteins. miRNAs can be transferred from cell-to-cell by lipid-based carriers and affect gene expression. This review summarizes recent studies that demonstrate the transfer of miRNA between cells and their potential role in intercellular communication. Microvesicles, exosomes, apoptotic bodies, lipoproteins, and large microparticles contain miRNAs. Recent studies have demonstrated that miRNAs are transferred between dendritic cells, hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and adipocytes in lipid-based carriers. miRNAs are also transferred from T cells to antigen-presenting cells, from stem cells to endothelial cells and fibroblasts, from macrophages to breast cancer cells, and from epithelial cells to hepatocytes in lipid-based carriers. The cellular export of miRNAs in lipid-based carriers is regulated by the ceramide pathway, and the delivery of lipid-associated miRNAs to recipient cells is achieved by various routes, including endocytotic uptake, membrane-fusion, and scavenger receptors. Cellular miRNAs are exported in and to lipid-based carriers (vesicles and lipoprotein particles) and transferred to recipient cells with gene expression changes as intercellular communication.

MeSH Terms
Biological Transport Cell Communication Endocytosis Exosomes/chemistry,metabolism Gene Expression Regulation Humans Lipids/chemistry MicroRNAs/chemistry,genetics,metabolism Receptors, Cell Surface/metabolism
Chemicals
Lipids MicroRNAs Receptors, Cell Surface
Authors & Affiliations
2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Vickers Kasey C
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. vickerskc@nhlbi.nih.gov
Remaley Alan T
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Article Info
Journal
Current opinion in lipidology
Abbr.
Curr Opin Lipidol
ISSN
1473-6535
DOI
10.1097/MOL.0b013e328350a425
Email
vickerskc@nhlbi.nih.gov
Published
2012-04-00
Pages
91-7
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
9010000
PMCID
PMC5570485
Subset
IM
Grants
NHLBI NIH HHS · K22 HL113039 · United States
Intramural NIH HHS · Z99 HL999999 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1097/MOL.0b013e328350a425 PMC Full Text View journal details
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