MiR‐127 attenuates adipogenesis by targeting MAPK4 and HOXC6 in porcine adipocytes

Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have critical roles during adipogenesis; however, their precise functions are not completely understood. Porcine miRNA expression profiles show that miR‐127 is dramatically downregulated with age in adipose tissue. We aimed to identify the precise functions and mechanisms of miR‐127 in proliferation and adipogenesis. Preadipocytes were cultured under conditions to induce proliferation or differentiation and the effect of miR‐127 overexpression on these processes, and the associated bioinformatically predicted target genes, were assessed using luciferase assays, quantitative real‐time PCR, western blot analysis, and cell staining techniques. miR‐127 increased proliferation by promoting cell cycling, whereas it suppressed differentiation, which was accompanied by reduced lipid accumulation. miR‐127 targeted mitogen‐activated protein kinase 4 and homeobox C6 ( HOXC6 ) to activate preadipocyte proliferation. During differentiation, miR‐127 targeted HOXC6 to attenuate adipogenesis. These findings identify miR‐127 as an inhibitor of porcine adipogenesis, which may inform future strategies to reduce porcine fat deposition and treat human obesity.