Objective: To screen the differentially expressed miRNAs and their target genes in adipogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) to better understand the mechanism for regulating the balance between osteoblast and adipocyte differentiation.
Methods: Cultured hMSCs were induced for adipogenic differentiation, and at 0, 7, 14, and 21 days of induction, the cells were examined for miRNA and mRNA expression profiles using miRNA chip and transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) techniques. Correlation analysis was carried out for the miRNAs and mRNAs of potential interest. The databases including TargetScan, PicTar and miRanda were used to predict the target genes of the differentially expressed miRNA.
Results: The expression of miR-140-5p was down-regulated and leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) expression increased progressively during adipogenic differentiation of hMSCs, showing a negative correlation between them. Target gene prediction using the 3 databases identified LIFR as the target gene of miR-140-5p.
Conclusion: miRNA-140-5p may play an important role by regulating its target gene LIFR during adipogenic differentiation of hMSCs.
目的: 筛选出人骨髓间充质干细胞（hMSCs）成脂分化中具有潜在价值的miRNA及其靶基因，为人类成骨细胞与脂肪细胞分化平衡调控机制的深入研究提供有力实验依据。
方法: 收集hMSCs 成脂分化过程中的0、7、14、21 d 的细胞样品，应用miRNA 芯片和转录组测序（mRNA-seq）技术，分析4个点细胞中miRNA和mRNA的表达水平，并将miRNA与mRNA的表达趋势进行关联分析，聚焦具有研究价值的miRNA与mRNA相互调控关系，同时，采用TargetScan、PicTar和miRanda等数据库进行靶基因的预测。
结果: 发现miR-140-5p在成脂分化中表达量呈逐渐下降的趋势，而白血病抑制因子受体（LIFR）表达量呈逐渐升高趋势，二者呈现负调控的对应关系。同时经3 个靶基因数据库预测，LIFR 为miR-140-5p 共有的靶基因。
结论: miRNA-140-5p可能与人骨髓间充质干细胞的成脂分化密切相关，且通过调控其靶基因LIFR的表达而参与成脂分化。