miR-27a-3p regulates intestinal cell proliferation and differentiation through Wnt/β-catenin signalling

Intestinal stem cells differentiate into absorptive enterocytes, characterised by increased brush border enzymes such as intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), making up the majority (95%) of the terminally differentiated cells in the villus. Loss of integrity of the intestinal epithelium plays a key role in inflammatory diseases and gastrointestinal infection. Here, we show that the intestinal microRNA (miR)-27a-3p is an important regulator of intestinal epithelial cell proliferation and enterocyte differentiation. Repression of endogenous miR-27a-3p leads to increased enterocyte differentiation and decreased intestinal epithelial cell proliferation in mouse and human small intestinal organoids. Mechanistically, miR-27a-3p regulates intestinal cell differentiation and proliferation at least in part through the regulation of retinoic acid receptor α (RXRα), a modulator of Wnt/β-catenin signalling. Repression of miR-27a-3p increases the expression of RXRα and concomitantly, decreases the expression of active β-catenin and cyclin D1. In contrast, overexpression of miR-27a-3p mimic decreases the expression of RXRα and increases the expression of active β-catenin and cyclin D1. Moreover, overexpression of the miR-27a-3p mimic results in impaired enterocyte differentiation and increases intestinal epithelial cell proliferation. These alterations were attenuated or blocked by Wnt inhibition. Our study demonstrates an miR-27a-3p/RXRα/Wnt/β-catenin pathway that is important for the maintenance of enterocyte homeostasis in the small intestine.