BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs are broadly accepted as crucial regulators of cardiovascular development, and dysregulation of their expression has been linked to cardiac disease. MicroRNA cluster miR-17-92 has been implicated in cardiac development and function, yet its defined mechanisms of action in this context are uncertain. Here, we focused on miR-19b, a key component of the miR-17-92 cluster proven to induce cardiomyocyte proliferation in vitro. We aimed to identify the biological significance of miR-19b in cardiac development and its underlying molecular mechanism of action in vivo. METHODS: We micro-injected zebrafish embryos with different concentrations (0, 2, 4 and 8 μm) of miR-19b mimics or a negative control, and assessed the embryo malformation rate, mortality rate, hatching rate and heart abnormalities at 72 hours post-fertilization (72 hpf). RESULTS: We found that overexpression of miR-19b impacted left-right symmetry and cardiac development of zebrafish embryos, characterized by pericardial edema, slower heart rate and cardiac looping defects in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, several important signaling molecules in the Wnt signaling pathway were abnormally expressed, suggesting that overexpression of miR-19b induces the inhibition of the Wnt signaling pathway by directly targeting ctnnb1. Interestingly, the deformed cardiac phenotype was partially rescued by treatment with the GSK3β inhibitor lithium chloride. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that miR-19b regulates laterality development and heart looping in zebrafish embryos by targeting ctnnb1.
BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs are broadly accepted as crucial regulators of cardiovascular development, and dysregulation of their expression has been linked to cardiac disease. MicroRNA cluster miR-17-92 has been implicated in cardiac development and function, yet its defined mechanisms of action in this context are uncertain. Here, we focused on miR-19b, a key component of the miR-17-92 cluster proven to induce cardiomyocyte proliferation in vitro. We aimed to identify the biological significance of miR-19b in cardiac development and its underlying molecular mechanism of action in vivo. METHODS: We micro-injected zebrafish embryos with different concentrations (0, 2, 4 and 8 μm) of miR-19b mimics or a negative control, and assessed the embryo malformation rate, mortality rate, hatching rate and heart abnormalities at 72 hours post-fertilization (72 hpf). RESULTS: We found that overexpression of miR-19b impacted left-right symmetry and cardiac development of zebrafish embryos, characterized by pericardial edema, slower heart rate and cardiac looping defects in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, several important signaling molecules in the Wnt signaling pathway were abnormally expressed, suggesting that overexpression of miR-19b induces the inhibition of the Wnt signaling pathway by directly targeting ctnnb1. Interestingly, the deformed cardiac phenotype was partially rescued by treatment with the GSK3β inhibitor lithium chloride. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that miR-19b regulates laterality development and heart looping in zebrafish embryos by targeting ctnnb1.
Authors: Sébastien Foulquier; Evangelos P Daskalopoulos; Gentian Lluri; Kevin C M Hermans; Arjun Deb; W Matthijs Blankesteijn Journal: Pharmacol Rev Date: 2018-01 Impact factor: 25.468
Authors: Elena Chiavacci; Romina D'Aurizio; Elena Guzzolino; Francesco Russo; Mario Baumgart; Marco Groth; Laura Mariani; Mara D'Onofrio; Ivan Arisi; Marco Pellegrini; Alessandro Cellerino; Federico Cremisi; Letizia Pitto Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2015-12-14 Impact factor: 4.379