MicroRNA-27a promotes porcine myoblast proliferation by downregulating myostatin expression

Animal. 2014 Nov;8(11):1867-72. doi: 10.1017/S1751731114001694. Epub 2014 Jul 9.

Abstract

MicroRNAs are endogenous ~22nt RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level via binding to the 3'-untranslated region (3'UTR) of target mRNAs. The microRNA miR-27a was reported to depress the expression of myostatin, a critical inhibitor of skeletal myogenesis, by binding to its 3'UTR in mouse. In this study, we cloned the full-length 3'UTR of porcine myostatin by rapid amplification of 3'-cDNA ends (3'-RACE) and demonstrated that the 3'UTR of porcine myostatin is targeted by miR-27a. The phenomenon that the level of myostatin inversely correlated with miR-27a was observed in fat and heart of pigs and also in proliferating porcine myoblasts. Besides, overexpression of miR-27a in porcine myoblasts promoted cell proliferation by reducing the expression of myostatin. Our data suggest that miR-27a positive regulates porcine myoblast proliferation via targeting myostatin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Down-Regulation / genetics*
  • Female
  • Male
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Myoblasts / metabolism
  • Myostatin / genetics*
  • Myostatin / metabolism
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
  • Sus scrofa / genetics*
  • Sus scrofa / growth & development*
  • Sus scrofa / metabolism

Substances

  • MicroRNAs
  • Myostatin