microRNA-24a is required to repress apoptosis in the developing neural retina.
Programmed cell death is important for the proper development of the retina, and microRNAs (miRNAs) may be critical for its regulation. Here, we report that miR-24a is expressed in the neural retina and is required for correct eye morphogenesis in Xenopus. Inhibition of miR-24a during development causes a reduction in eye size due to a significant increase in apoptosis in the retina, whereas overexpression of miR-24a is sufficient to prevent apoptosis. We show that miR-24a negatively regulates the proapoptotic factors caspase9 and apaf1, demonstrating a role for miRNAs in the regulation of apoptosis during normal development.
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Center for Integrative Genomics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
James C
JC
Walker
Richard M
RM
Harland
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D053477:Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005123:Eye / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
D053477:Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D035683:MicroRNAs; D053453:Caspase 9; D006918:Hydroxyurea