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The microRNA-200 family coordinately regulates cell adhesion and proliferation in hair morphogenesis

Jaimee E Hoefert1, Glen A Bjerke1, Dongmei Wang1

  • 1Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO.

The Journal of Cell Biology
|April 1, 2018
PubMed

Insights

The microRNA-200 (miR-200) family regulates normal epithelial cell behavior and hair development. This study reveals its targets and functions, highlighting combinatorial gene regulation critical for miRNA activity.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Cancer Biology

Background:

  • The microRNA (miRNA)-200 (miR-200) family is crucial in epithelial cells but its role in normal tissues is unclear.
  • Understanding miR-200's targets and functions, especially the distinct roles of its subfamilies, is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify miR-200 targets and elucidate its functions in normal epithelial tissues.
  • To investigate how the two miR-200 subfamilies regulate targets and contribute to biological processes.

Main Methods:

  • Direct ligation of miRNAs to targeted mRNA regions to identify binding sites.
  • Utilizing inducible and knockout mouse models to study miR-200 family function in vivo.

Main Results:

  • Identified numerous miR-200 targets involved in focal adhesion, cytoskeleton, cell cycle, and Hippo/Yap signaling.
  • Demonstrated that miR-200 subfamilies bind to distinct sites but often coordinately regulate genes.
  • Showed miR-200 family regulates cell adhesion and orientation in the hair germ, impacting cell fate and hair morphogenesis.

Conclusions:

  • Combinatorial targeting of multiple genes is vital for miRNA function.
  • Provided new insights into the functions of the miR-200 family in normal epithelial development and morphogenesis.

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