MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are novel and potent regulators in myogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms that many miRNAs regulate myoblast proliferation and differentiation which are largely unknown. Here, we found that miR-139-5p increased during C2C12 myoblast proliferation, while presenting an inverse trend during C2C12 myoblast differentiation. Flow cytometry and EdU incorporation assay showed that miR-139-5p slowed down the growth of C2C12 cells. Additional study demonstrated that ectopic introduction of miR-139-5p into C2C12 cells blocked myoblast differentiation. Importantly, we demonstrated for the first time that Wnt1, which is associated with the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, was a direct target of miR-139-5p. Moreover, we found that the expression level of Wnt1 was suppressed significantly (p < 0.01) by miR-139-5p, which triggered inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling through upregulation of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3β; p < 0.05) and downregulation of p-GSK-3β (p < 0.01), β-catenin (p < 0.05), and nuclear β-catenin (p < 0.01). Taken together, these results suggest that miR-139-5p is an important negative regulator in myogenesis through blocking the Wnt1-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
Keywords: C2C12; Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway; différenciation des myoblastes; miR-139-5p; myoblast differentiation; myoblast proliferation; prolifération des myoblastes; voie de signalisation Wnt/caténine.