Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39773638›Full record

ArticleJournal of biomedical science2025

A novel human specific lncRNA MEK6-AS1 regulates adipogenesis and fatty acid biosynthesis by stabilizing MEK6 mRNA.

Di Li, Yunhua Chen, Xingyu Zhu, Yanlei Yang, Hongling Li, Robert Chunhua Zhao

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of biomedical science, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Di LiInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Yunhua ChenInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Xingyu ZhuInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Yanlei YangClinical Biobank, Department Medical Research Central, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Hongling LiInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. lihongling2007@ibms.pumc.edu.cn.
Robert Chunhua ZhaoInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. zhaochunhua@ibms.pumc.edu.cn.

Funding

111 Project B18007Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Initiative for Innovative Medicine 2022-I2M-1-012Key-Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province 2021B0909060001New industry cultivation program--Development and application of stem cell drug therapy products 23-1-4-xxgg-15-nsh
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundObesity is becoming one of the major non-communicable diseases with increasing incidence and risks that cannot be ignored. However effective and safe clinical treatment strategies still need to be deeply explored. Increased number and volume of adipocytes lead to overweight and obesity. The aim of our work is to identify lncRNAs that have important regulatory in differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into adipocytes, and to provide effective targets for clinical prevention and treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders.

methodsWe extracted primary MSCs from human adipose tissue, and conducted expression profile analysis of lncRNAs during adipogenic differentiation of MSCs to screen changed lncRNAs. Characteristics of lncRNA were revealed mainly by RACE and RNA FISH. Loss- and gain-of function experiments in vivo and in vitro were used to analyze effects of lncRNA. Targeted metabolomics was utilized to detect levels of free fatty acids. RNA pull-down, mRNA stability tests, etc. were employed to explore mechanisms of lncRNA.

resultsHuman-specific lncRNA, we named it MEK6-AS1, was the most up-regulated transcript during adipogenic differentiation of MSCs. MEK6-AS1 was highly expressed in adipose tissue samples from individuals with BMI ≥ 25 and positively correlated with adipogenic marker genes in these samples. Knocking down lncRNA inhibited expression of adipogenic differentiation markers and ectopic adipogenesis, reducing contents of various free fatty acids, as well as promoting osteogenic differentiation. Overexpression of lncRNA had the opposite effects to the above processes. We also found that MEK6-AS1 was elevated during hepatic steatosis organoid generation. Mechanistically, MEK6-AS1 worked partially through stabilization of MEK6 mRNA by NAT10.

conclusionsWe have identified a human-specific lncRNA (MEK6-AS1) with position information in the genomic database but has not been extensively reported. We demonstrated that MEK6-AS1 as a novel lncRNA involved in adipogenic differentiation and adipogenesis, fatty acid metabolism, and osteogenic differentiation. We found that MEK6-AS1 may exert its effect by enhancing MEK6 mRNA stability through NAT10. Our study may provide insights into implication of lncRNAs in stem cell biology and offer a new potential therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of obesity and other related disease.

Indexed as

AdipogenesisMesenchymal Stem CellsRNA, Long NoncodingAdipocytesAnimalsCell DifferentiationFatty AcidsHumansMaleMiceRNA, MessengerFatty AcidsRNA, Long NoncodingRNA, MessengerAdipogenesisAdipogenic differentiationHepatic steatosis organoidLncRNAMEK6MEK6-AS1Mesenchymal stem cellMetabolic associated fatty liver diseaseObesity

Identifiers

PMID39773638
PMCPMC11708274

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.