MicroRNAs are digested, not absorbed
MicroRNAs constitute a class of non-coding RNAs that play key roles in the regulation of gene expression. Acting at the post-transcriptional level, these fascinating molecules may fine-tune the expression of as much as 30% of all mammalian protein-encoding genes.
There has been a lot of controversy in recent years over the issue of whether exogenous microRNA molecules can be absorbed from food and even have a physiological effect. A new study by ETH professor Markus Stoffel using mouse models settles the question by demonstrating that the posited dietary uptake does not take place. This questions the potentially promising concept of creating functional foods based on microRNAs.
Paper:
http://www.jbc.org/content/early/2015/08/03/jbc.M115.676734
Article:
http://phys.org/news/2015-09-micrornas-digested-absorbed.html
#research #microRNA #digestion #science
Corina Marinescu somehow I'm betting that this won't stop the woo-meisters from selling more magic supplements that promise to do exactly what this paper seems to show rather definitively doesn't happen.
ReplyDeleteStill, this is just one study in a rather small body of overall evidence at this time. Especially given all the recent evidence of poor reproducibility in publications, it seems reasonable that even more research should be done to verify this result, wouldn't you agree?
More research is always a good idea ;)
ReplyDeleteThis kind of makes sense: we eat tons of stuff packed full of dna and rna, and our digestive system is designed to tear it apart.
ReplyDelete