microRNA-185 modulates low density lipoprotein receptor expression as a key posttranscriptional regulator.

•miR-185 regulates LDLR expression by direct binding to LDLR 3′-UTR in HepG2 cells.•KSRP, one of the LDLR mRNA-destabilizing proteins, is a direct target of miR-185.•miR-185 mediates an indirect regulation of LDLR through KSRP.•miR-185 inhibitor increases hepatic LDLR expression in vivo.•miR-185 inhibitor reduced atherosclerosis progression in vivo.