MicroRNA-125b-5p inhibits proliferation and promotes adipogenic differentiation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes

Previous evidence has indicated that the microRNA-125b (miR-125b) family plays important roles in the regulation of cancer cell growth, development, differentiation, and apoptosis. However, whether they contribute to the process of adipocyte differentiation remains unclear. In the present study, we revealed that the expression level of miR-125b-5p, a member of miR-125b family, was dramatically up-regulated during differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocyte into mature adipocyte. Supplement of miR-125b-5p into 3T3-L1 cells promoted adipogenic differentiation as evidenced by increased lipid droplets and mRNA levels of adipocyte-specific molecular markers, including peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α, fatty acid-binding protein 4, and lipoprotein lipase, and by triglyceride accumulation. CCK-8 assay showed that miR-125b-5p supplementation significantly inhibited cell proliferation. Flow cytometry analysis showed that miR-125b-5p impaired G1/S phase transition as well as the mRNA and protein expression of G1/S-related genes, such as Cyclin D2, Cyclin D3, and CDK4. Nevertheless, it had no effect on apoptosis. Additionally, by target gene prediction, we demonstrated that smad4 may be a potential target of miR-125b-5p in mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, accounting for some of miR-125b-5p's functions. Taken together, these data indicated that miR-125b-5p may serve as an important positive regulator in adipocyte differentiation, at least partially through down-regulating smad4.