Mechano-regulation of alternative splicing

Alternative splicing contributes to the complexity of proteome by producing multiple mRNAs from a single gene. Affymetrix exon arrays and experiments in vivo or in vitro demonstrated that alternative splicing was regulated by mechanical stress. Expression of mechano-growth factor (MGF) which is the splicing isoform of insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) splicing variants such as VEGF121, VEGF165, VEGF206, VEGF189, VEGF165 and VEGF145 are regulated by mechanical stress. However, the mechanism of this process is not yet clear. Increasing evidences showed that the possible mechanism is related to Ca(2+) signal pathway and phosphorylation signal pathway. This review proposes possible mechanisms of mechanical splicing regulation. This will contribute to the biomechanical study of alternative splicing.