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Updated: Apr 7, 2026
A Bioinformatics Pipeline to Accurately and Efficiently Analyze the MicroRNA Transcriptomes in Plants
Published on: January 21, 2020
Determination of the potential bioavailability of plant microRNAs using a simulated human digestion process
Anna Philip1, Valerie A Ferro1, Rothwelle J Tate1
1Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
Scope:
The "dietary xenomiR hypothesis" proposes that microRNAs (miRNAs) in foodstuffs survive transit through the mammalian gastrointestinal tract and pass into cells intact to affect gene regulation. However, debate continues as to whether dietary intake poses a feasible route for such exogenous gene regulators. Understanding on miRNA levels during pretreatments of human diet is essential to test their bioavailability during digestion. This study makes the novel first use of an in vitro method to eliminate the inherent complexities and variability of in vivo approaches used to test this hypothesis.
Methods And Results:
Plant miRNA levels in soybean and rice were measured during storage, processing, cooking, and early digestion using real-time PCR. We have demonstrated for the first time that storage, processing, and cooking does not abolish the plant miRNAs present in the foodstuffs. In addition, utilizing a simulated human digestion system revealed significant plant miRNA bioavailability after early stage digestion for 75 min. Attenuation of plant messenger RNA and synthetic miRNA was observed under these conditions.
Conclusion:
Even after an extensive pretreatment, plant-derived miRNA, delivered by typical dietary ingestion, has a robustness that could make them bioavailable for uptake during early digestion. The potential benefit of these regulatory molecules in pharma nutrition could be explored further.
Insights
Plant microRNAs (miRNAs) survive food processing and digestion, showing potential bioavailability in the human gut. This supports the dietary xenomiR hypothesis for exogenous gene regulation via food intake.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Nutrition Science
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- The dietary xenomiR hypothesis suggests dietary microRNAs (miRNAs) can regulate gene expression in humans.
- The bioavailability and stability of plant-derived miRNAs during digestion remain debated.
- Understanding miRNA levels in food is crucial for assessing their potential as exogenous regulators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the stability and bioavailability of plant miRNAs during food processing and simulated human digestion.
- To provide an in vitro method for studying dietary miRNA uptake, avoiding in vivo complexities.
Main Methods:
- Real-time PCR was used to quantify plant miRNA levels in soybean and rice.
- Foodstuffs underwent simulated storage, processing, cooking, and digestion (75 min).
- An in vitro simulated human digestion system was employed.
Main Results:
- Plant miRNAs remained detectable in foodstuffs after storage, processing, and cooking.
- Significant plant miRNA bioavailability was observed during early-stage simulated digestion.
- Plant messenger RNA and synthetic miRNAs showed attenuation under simulated digestion conditions.
Conclusions:
- Plant-derived miRNAs exhibit robustness, suggesting potential bioavailability after dietary ingestion.
- The findings support the feasibility of dietary miRNAs acting as exogenous regulators.
- Further exploration of plant miRNAs in pharma nutrition is warranted.
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