The Role of miR-181c in the Development of the tri-metabolic Disorders: Diabetes, Obesity and Aging

Author(s): Nura A Mohamed, Tanveer A. Tabish, Hana A Mohamed, Sarah I Mazi, Fahad A Alrashed

In the past decades, miRNAs were considered pivotal cellular rheostats that control many critical and fundamental signaling pathways. These small noncoding RNAs play a fundamental role in regulating gene expression, with accumulating evidence of the miRNAs ability to modulate diverse signaling pathways that once altered can lead to the development of many metabolic disorders. In addition, miRNAs were shown to have a crucial role in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis and inflammatory responses. Of the many studied miRNAs, the highly conserved miR-181 family, particularly miR-181c represents an interesting research area. In the current review, we will provide an overview of the tri-pathways miR-181c is involved in, its function, and its role in developing diabetes, obesity, impaired angiogenesis, and aging. Additionally, this review will provide key insights into the key markers miR-181c triggers or targets in these disease models. Finally, this review aims to provide a better understanding of the miR-181c family with the hope that it may open new therapeutic avenues for different metabolic conditions.