The Wnt/β-catenin pathway regulates the expression of the miR-302 cluster in mouse ESCs and P19 cells

PLoS One. 2013 Sep 10;8(9):e75315. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075315. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

MicroRNAs of the miR-302 cluster are involved in early embryonic development and somatic cell reprogramming. Expression of the miR-302 gene is regulated by the binding of the pluripotency factors Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog to the miR-302 promoter. The specific expression pattern of the miR-302 gene suggested that additional transcription factors might be involved in its regulation. Here, we show that the miR-302 promoter is a direct target of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. We found that the miR-302 promoter contains three different functional Tcf/Lef binding sites. Two of the three sites were located within the cluster of Oct4/Sox2/Nanog binding sites and were essential for Wnt/β-catenin-mediated regulation of the miR-302 gene. Tcf3, the only Tcf/Lef factor that bound to the miR-302 promoter, acted as a repressor of miR-302 transcription. Interestingly, mutations in the two Tcf/Lef binding sites and the Oct4/Nanog binding sites abolished miR-302 promoter responsiveness to Wnt signaling, suggesting that the Tcf/Lef and the Oct4/Nanog sites interact genetically.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Gene Knockout Techniques
  • Mice
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • TCF Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway*
  • beta Catenin / deficiency
  • beta Catenin / genetics
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • MIRN302 microRNA, mouse
  • MicroRNAs
  • TCF Transcription Factors
  • beta Catenin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Max-Planck Society. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.