The miR-29 family: genomics, cell biology, and relevance to renal and cardiovascular injury.
The human miR-29 family of microRNAs has three mature members, miR-29a, miR-29b, and miR-29c. miR-29s are encoded by two gene clusters. Binding sites for several transcriptional factors have been identified in the promoter regions of miR-29 genes. The miR-29 family members share a common seed region sequence and are predicted to target largely overlapping sets of genes. However, the miR-29 family members exhibit differential regulation in several cases and different subcellular distribution, suggesting their functional relevance may not be identical. miR-29s directly target at least 16 extracellular matrix genes, providing a dramatic example of a single microRNA targeting a large group of functionally related genes. Strong antifibrotic effects of miR-29s have been demonstrated in heart, kidney, and other organs. miR-29s have also been shown to be proapoptotic and involved in the regulation of cell differentiation. It remains to be explored how various cellular effects of miR-29s determine functional relevance of miR-29s to specific diseases and how the miR-29 family members may function cooperatively or separately.
Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
Alison J
AJ
Kriegel
Yong
Y
Liu
Yi
Y
Fang
Xiaoqiang
X
Ding
Mingyu
M
Liang
D000818:Animals; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D035683:MicroRNAs