| abstract |
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating a muscular disease or cachexia, comprising, as an active ingredient, a miRNA located in Dlk1-Dio3 cluster or a variant thereof. In the present invention, it has been found that expression of miRNAs located in the Dlk1-Dio3 cluster is decreased as age increases. In particular, in a case where most of the miRNAs are over-expressed in fully differentiated myotubes, it has been confirmed that the diameter of the myotubes increases. In addition, also in a tumor-induced cachexia mouse model, it has been confirmed that cachexia was improved by inhibiting Atrogin-1 protein. Accordingly, the miRNA located in the Dlk1-Dio3 cluster or a variant thereof can be usefully utilized for the treatment and prevention of an Atrogin-1 - dependent muscular disease and cachexia. |