biostudies-literatureXiao JShanghai Municipal Education CommissionNational Natural Science Foundation of ChinaChina Postdoctoral Science FoundationShanghai University of SportChinese Foundation for Hepatitis Prevention and Control of the WBN Research Foundation204-16https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC4727558biostudies-literatureUnknown20(2)Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with obesity and lifestyle, while exercise is beneficial for NAFLD. Dysregulated microRNAs (miRs) control the pathogenesis of NAFLD. However, whether exercise could prevent NAFLD via targeting microRNA is unknown. In this study, normal or high-fat diet (HF) mice were either subjected to a 16-week running program or kept sedentary. Exercise attenuated liver steatosis in HF mice. MicroRNA array and qRT-PCR demonstrated that miR-212 was overexpressed in HF liver, while reduced by exercise. Next, we investigated the role of miR-212 in lipogenesis using HepG2 cells with/without long-chain fatty acid treatment (± FFA). FFA increased miR-212 in HepG2 cells. Moreover, miR-212 promoted lipogenesis in HepG2 cells (± FFA). Fibroblast growth factJournal of cellular and molecular medicinemiR-212 downregulation contributes to the protective effect of exercise against non-alcoholic fatty liver via targeting FGF-21.PMC472755881370559814006472014M5614568140063581170406TQGB2014014113YZ014sdcx2012038812001698157036281070343Kuang DYang WLiu JLi JYang YZhou QXiao JDimitrova-Shumkovska JXiang YWang FYang CBei YfalsemiR-212 downregulation contributes to the protective effect of exercise against non-alcoholic fatty liver via targeting FGF-21.Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with obesity and lifestyle, while exercise is beneficial for NAFLD. Dysregulated microRNAs (miRs) control the pathogenesis of NAFLD. However, whether exercise could prevent NAFLD via targeting microRNA is unknown. In this study, normal or high-fat diet (HF) mice were either subjected to a 16-week running program or kept sedentary. Exercise attenuated liver steatosis in HF mice. MicroRNA array and qRT-PCR demonstrated that miR-212 was overexpressed in HF liver, while reduced by exercise. Next, we investigated the role of miR-212 in lipogenesis using HepG2 cells with/without long-chain fatty acid treatment (± FFA). FFA increased miR-212 in HepG2 cells. Moreover, miR-212 promoted lipogenesis in HepG2 cells (± FFA). Fibroblast growth fact2016-01-01T00:00:00Z2016 Feb2025-04-04T20:30:34.011Z2019-08-04T07:56:29ZS-EPMC47275582664845210.1111/jcmm.12733