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. 2021 Jan 20;7:610561. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2020.610561

Figure 1.

Figure 1

MiR-223-3p is involved in cholesterol transport, biosynthesis, and efflux. Both endogenous and exogenous miR-223-3p in hepatocytes contribute to maintaining cholesterol homeostasis through targeting multiple genes related to cholesterol transport, biosynthesis, and efflux. Exogenous miR-223-3p is mostly originated from PMNs or macrophages and transported by HDLs. The uptake of HDL-carried miR-223-3p depends on SR-BI which is identified as one of the targets of miR-223-3p. Other targets involved in cholesterol metabolism include HMGCS1, SC4MOL and Sp3. MiR-223-3p directly inhibits the expression of these proteins to reduce the cholesterol uptake and biosynthesis, as well as to increase the cholesterol efflux. MiR-223-3p levels in hepatocytes can be upregulated with the elevation of cellular or circulating cholesterol.