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Published on: July 2, 2020
miR-363 induces transdifferentiation of human kidney tubular cells to mesenchymal phenotype
Ryuji Morizane1, Shizuka Fujii1, Toshiaki Monkawa2,3
1Department of Internal Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan.
Background:
microRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding small RNAs that regulate embryonic development, cell differentiation and pathological processes via interaction with mRNA. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is pathological process that involves in a variety of diseases such as cancer or fibrosis.
Methods:
In this study, we identified miR-363 as a potent inducer of EMT by microarray analysis in human kidney tubular cells, and analyzed the function and mechanisms of miR-363.
Results:
Overexpression of miR-363 induced mesenchymal phenotypes with loss of epithelial phenotypes in human kidney tubular cells. In addition, in vitro scratch assay demonstrated that miR-363 promotes cell migration of primary culture of human kidney tubular cells. We identified TWIST/canonical WNT pathway as the downstream effecter of miR-363, and inhibition of canonical WNT by small molecule, IWR-1, attenuated EMT induced by miR-363.
Conclusion:
miR-363 induces transdifferentiation of human kidney tubular cells via upregulation of TWIST/canonical WNT pathway.
