Multifaceted roles of miR-1s in repressing the fetal gene program in the heart

Cell Res. 2014 Mar;24(3):278-92. doi: 10.1038/cr.2014.12. Epub 2014 Jan 31.

Abstract

miRNAs are an important class of regulators that play roles in cellular homeostasis and disease. Muscle-specific miRNAs, miR-1-1 and miR-1-2, have been found to play important roles in regulating cell proliferation and cardiac function. Redundancy between miR-1-1 and miR-1-2 has previously impeded a full understanding of their roles in vivo. To determine how miR-1s regulate cardiac function in vivo, we generated mice lacking miR-1-1 and miR-1-2 without affecting nearby genes. miR-1 double knockout (miR-1 dKO) mice were viable and not significantly different from wild-type controls at postnatal day 2.5. Thereafter, all miR-1 dKO mice developed dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and died before P17. Massively parallel sequencing showed that a large portion of upregulated genes after deletion of miR-1s is associated with the cardiac fetal gene program including cell proliferation, glycolysis, glycogenesis, and fetal sarcomere-associated genes. Consistent with gene profiling, glycogen content and glycolytic rates were significantly increased in miR-1 dKO mice. Estrogen-related Receptor β (Errβ) was identified as a direct target of miR-1, which can regulate glycolysis, glycogenesis, and the expression of sarcomeric proteins. Cardiac-specific overexpression of Errβ led to glycogen storage, cardiac dilation, and sudden cardiac death around 3-4 weeks of age. We conclude that miR-1 and its primary target Errβ act together to regulate the transition from prenatal to neonatal stages by repressing the cardiac fetal gene program. Loss of this regulation leads to a neonatal DCM.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / etiology
  • Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / genetics
  • Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / mortality
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Energy Metabolism
  • Glycogen / metabolism
  • Glycolysis
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • MicroRNAs / antagonists & inhibitors
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Myocardium / metabolism*
  • Myocardium / pathology
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / cytology
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Estrogen / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptors, Estrogen / genetics
  • Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism
  • Sarcomeres / metabolism
  • Sequence Alignment

Substances

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • MicroRNAs
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • estrogen receptor-related receptor beta
  • Glycogen