MicroRNA expression profile during adipogenic differentiation in mouse embryonic stem cells

Julia M. Knelangen, Mark B. van der Hoek, Wee Ching Kong, Julie A. Owens, Bernd Fischer, Anne Navarrete Santos

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESC) have the potential to differentiate into any cell type of the three germ layers. Differentiation processes depend ongenetic and epigenetic factors. The guidance of cell fate determination by microRNAs (miRs) seems important for embryonic development and cell lineage decisions. MiRs are short, single-stranded, noncoding RNA molecules that regulate through posttranscriptional modulation, a subset of target genes involved in cell differentiation and specific cell function. We have used microarray profiling of miRs in the mouse embryonic stem cell line CGR8. Comparison of the miR profiles of undifferentiated stem cells with mesodermal progenitors cells (day 5), preadipocytes (day 10), and adipocytes (day 21) showed that the expression level of 129 miRs changed (twofold) during adipogenic differentiation. We identified 10 clusters of differentially expressed miRs, which contain putative markers and regulators of mesodermal differentiation and cell fate determination into adipocytes. Notably, the adipocyte-specific miRs 143 and 103 were upregulated from day 10 onward. We have therefore demonstrated and characterized the dynamic profile of miR expression during murine adipogenic differentiation in vitro, including the initial differentiation from ESC via mesenchymal progenitors up to adipocytes. Our findings and experimental approach provide a suitable system to directly interrogate the role of miRs during adipogenic differentiation of embryonic stem cells.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)611-620
Number of pages10
JournalPhysiological Genomics
Volume43
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished or Issued - May 2011
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Adipogenesis
  • CGR8 cells
  • MicroRNA microarray

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Genetics

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