title: Wnt-5a-regulated miR-101b controls COX2 expression in hippocampal neurons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Wnt-5a is a member of the WNT family of secreted lipoglycoproteins, whose expression increases during development; moreover, Wnt-5a plays a key role in synaptic structure and function in the adult nervous system. However, the mechanism underlying these effects is still elusive. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of small non-coding RNAs that control the gene expression of their targets through hybridization with complementary sequences in the 3' UTR, thereby inhibiting the translation of the target proteins. Several evidences indicate that the miRNAs are actively involved in the regulation of neuronal function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the present study, we examined whether Wnt-5a modulates the levels of miRNAs in hippocampal neurons. Using PCR arrays, we identified a set of miRNAs that respond to Wnt-5a treatment. One of the most affected miRNAs was miR-101b, which targets cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), an inducible enzyme that converts arachidonic acid to prostanoids, and has been involved in the injury/inflammatory response, and more recently in neuronal plasticity. Consistent with the Wnt-5a regulation of miR-101b, this Wnt ligand regulates COX2 expression in a time-dependent manner in cultured hippocampal neurons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The biological processes induced by Wnt-5a in hippocampal neurons, involve the regulation of several miRNAs including miR-101b, which has the capacity to regulate several targets, including COX-2 in the central nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Centro de Envejecimiento y Regeneración (CARE), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. jfcodoce@uc.cl.|CARE, Biomedical Research Center, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Alameda 340, 8331150, Santiago, Chile. jfcodoce@uc.cl.
authors.forename: Juan Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Codocedo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Centro de Envejecimiento y Regeneración (CARE), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. ninestrosa@bio.puc.cl.|Faculty of Medicine, Center for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. ninestrosa@bio.puc.cl.|Centro de Excelencia en Biomedicina de Magallanes (CEBIMA), Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile. ninestrosa@bio.puc.cl.|CARE, Biomedical Research Center, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Alameda 340, 8331150, Santiago, Chile. ninestrosa@bio.puc.cl.
authors.forename: Nibaldo C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Inestrosa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000032:analysis*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018390:Gene Targeting; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D000071818:Wnt-5a Protein
chemical_list: C579142:MIRN101 microRNA, rat; D035683:MicroRNAs; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D000071818:Wnt-5a Protein; C491837:Wnt5a protein, rat; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2