A balanced diet is critical for human health, and edible plants play an important role in providing essential micronutrients as well as specific microRNAs (miRNAs) that can regulate human gene expression. Here we present the effects of Moringa oleifera (MO) miRNAs (mol-miRs) on lipid metabolism. Through in silico studies we identified the potential genes involved in lipid metabolism targeted by mol-miRs. To this end, we tested the efficacy of an aqueous extract of MO seeds (MOES), as suggested in traditional African ethnomedicine, or its purified miRNAs. The biological properties of MO preparations were investigated using a human derived hepatoma cell line (HepG2) as a model. MOES treatment decreased intracellular lipid accumulation and induced apoptosis in HepG2. In the same cell line, transfection with mol-miRs showed similar effects to MOES. Moreover, the effect of the mol-miR pool was investigated in a pre-obese mouse model, in which treatment with mol-miRs was able to prevent dysregulation of lipid metabolism.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.