PTEN expression and steatosis were assessed in HCV-3a core protein-expressing Huh-7 cells and in mouse primary hepatocytes having miR-21-5p inhibited or genetically deleted respectively.
We were able to show in vivo that reducing phospho-STAT3-miR-21 levels in C57/BL6 mice liver, by long-term treatment with metformin, protected mice from aging-dependent hepatic vesicular steatosis.
Indeed, GLP1 down-regulates miRNA-34a and miRNA-21 and up-regulates miRNA-200b and miRNA-200c expression in liver, reducing intra hepatic lipid accumulation and liver steatosis.