MicroRNA-29a promotes smooth muscle cell differentiation from stem cells by targeting YY1

Min Jin; Yutao Wu; Yanwei Wang; Danqing Yu; Mei Yang; Feng Yang; Chun Feng; Ting Chen

doi:10.1016/j.scr.2016.07.011

MicroRNA-29a promotes smooth muscle cell differentiation from stem cells by targeting YY1

Stem Cell Res. 2016 Sep;17(2):277-284. doi: 10.1016/j.scr.2016.07.011. Epub 2016 Aug 2.

Authors

Min Jin¹, Yutao Wu², Yanwei Wang³, Danqing Yu¹, Mei Yang², Feng Yang², Chun Feng¹, Ting Chen⁴

Affiliations

¹ Division of Reproductive Medicine & Infertility, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88#, Jiefang Rd., Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, PR China.
² Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China.
³ Department of Cardiology, Ningbo Medical Treatment Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo 315000, PR China.
⁴ Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 27591939
DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2016.07.011

Abstract

MicroRNA-29a (miR-29a) has been extensively studied in tumor biology and fibrotic diseases, but little is known about its functional roles in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) differentiation from embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Using well-established VSMC differentiation models, we have observed that miR-29a induces VSMC differentiation from mouse ESCs by negatively regulating YY1, a transcription factor that inhibits muscle cell differentiation and muscle-specific gene expression. Moreover, gene expression levels of three VSMC specific transcriptional factors were up-regulated by miR-29a over-expression, but down-regulated by miR-29a inhibition or YY1 over-expression. Taken together, our data demonstrate that miR-29a and its target gene, YY1, play a regulatory role in VSMC differentiation from ESCs in vitro and in vivo.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

3' Untranslated Regions
Actins / genetics
Actins / metabolism
Animals
Antagomirs / metabolism
Cell Differentiation
Cell Line
Mice
MicroRNAs / antagonists & inhibitors
MicroRNAs / genetics
MicroRNAs / metabolism*
Microfilament Proteins / genetics
Microfilament Proteins / metabolism
Microscopy, Fluorescence
Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells / cytology
Muscle Proteins / genetics
Muscle Proteins / metabolism
Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / cytology
Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / metabolism*
Transcription Factors / genetics
Transcription Factors / metabolism
YY1 Transcription Factor / antagonists & inhibitors
YY1 Transcription Factor / genetics
YY1 Transcription Factor / metabolism*

Substances

3' Untranslated Regions
Actins
Antagomirs
MIRN29 microRNA, mouse
MicroRNAs
Microfilament Proteins
Muscle Proteins
Transcription Factors
YY1 Transcription Factor
Yy1 protein, mouse
alpha-smooth muscle actin, mouse
transgelin