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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #317384

Title: Dietary RNAs: New stories regarding oral delivery

Author
item YANG, JIAN - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item HIRSCHI, KENDAL - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item FARMER, LISA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)

Submitted to: Nutrients
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/27/2015
Publication Date: 4/30/2015
Citation: Yang, J., Hirschi, K.D., Farmer, L.M. 2015. Dietary RNAs: New stories regarding oral delivery. Nutrients. 7(5):3184-3199.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small RNAs, are important regulators of various developmental processes in both plants and animals. Several years ago, a report showed the detection of diet-derived plant miRNAs in mammalian tissues and their regulation of mammalian genes, challenging the traditional functions of plant miRNAs. Subsequently, multiple efforts have attempted to replicate these findings, with the results arguing against the uptake of plant dietary miRNAs in healthy consumers. Moreover, several reports suggest the potential for "false positive" detection of plant miRNAs in human tissues. Meanwhile, some research continues to suggest both the presence and function of dietary miRNAs in mammalian tissues. Here we review the recent literature and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of emerging work that suggests the feasibility of dietary delivery of miRNAs. We also discuss future experimental approaches to address this controversial topic.