title: MicroRNA-125b-2 overexpression represses ectodermal differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.
abstract: microRNAs (miRNAs or miRS) have been demonstrated to be essential for neural development. miR-125b-2, presented on human chromosome 21, is overexpressed in neurons of individuals with Down syndrome (DS) with cognitive impairments. It has been reported that miR-125b-2 promotes specific types of neuronal differentiation; however, the function of miR-125b-2 in the early development of the embryo has remained to be fully elucidated. In the present study, a mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) line was stably transfected with a miR-125b-2 lentiviral expression vector and found that miR-125b-2 overexpression did not affect the self-renewal or proliferation of mESCs. However, miR-125b-2 overexpression inhibited the differentiation of mESCs into endoderm and ectoderm. Finally, miR-125b-2 overexpression was found to impair all-trans-retinoic acid-induced neuron development in embryoid bodies. The findings of the present study implied that miR-125b-2 overexpression suppressed the differentiation of mESCs into neurons, which highlights that miR‑125b-2 is important in the regulation of ESC differentiation. The present study provided a basis for the further identification of novel targets of miR-125b-2, which may contribute to an enhanced understanding of the molecular mechanisms of ESC differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yanli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chundi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Duan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D004707:Endoderm / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D051379:Mice / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D000066450:Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; C527468:Mirn125 microRNA, mouse; D014212:Tretinoin