miR-613 regulates cholesterol efflux by targeting LXRα and ABCA1 in PPARγ activated THP-1 macrophages

•miR-613 is inversely correlated with LXRα and ABCA1 in PPARγ activated THP-1 cells.•PPARγ negatively regulates the expression of miR-613 at transcriptional level.•miR-613 suppressed LXRα and ABCA1 by targeting the 3′-UTR of their mRNAs.•Downregulation of LXRα and ABCA1 by miR-613 inhibited cholesterol efflux from PPARγ activated THP-1 macrophages.

Cholesterol efflux from macrophages is a critical mechanism to prevent the development of atherosclerosis. Although PPARγ is known to be a potent sterol sensor that play a fundamental role in cholesterol metabolism, the potential effects of PPARγ responsive miRNA still need to be revealed. In this study, we found that miR-613 is inversely correlated with LXRα and ABCA1 in PPARγ activated THP-1 cells. PPARγ negatively regulates the expression of miR-613 at transcriptional level, and miR-613 suppressed LXRα and ABCA1 by targeting the 3′-UTR of their mRNAs. Furthermore, downregulation of LXRα and ABCA1 by miR-613 inhibited cholesterol efflux from PPARγ activated THP-1 macrophages. These results revealed an alternative mechanism for PPARγ regulation and provided a potential target for the treatment of cholesterol metabolic diseases.