MicroRNA-29b Promotes the Adipogenic Differentiation of Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Stromal Cells

Objective: Obesity is primarily characterized by the accumulation of large amounts of fat in adipose tissue. Within the adipose tissue, adipocytes are derived from adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) via a specialized cell lineage differentiation process, and ADSCs play a key role in the generation and metabolism of adipose tissue. This study investigated whether microRNAs (miRNAs) play a role in adipocyte differentiation. Methods: Using luciferase reporter and ChIP assays, the relationship between miR-29b, SP1, and TNF-alpha was examined. Results: During the normal adipogenic differentiation of ADSCs, up-regulation of miR-29b promoted adipogenesis by enhancing SP1-mediated inhibition of TNF-alpha. Conclusions: This study investigated the regulatory role of miR-29b during the adipogenic differentiation of ADSCs and found that miR-29b is an effective positive regulator of adipogenesis.