molecular-analysis-endothelial-mesenchymal-transition-induced

Molecular Analysis of Endothelial-mesenchymal Transition Induced by Transforming Growth Factor-&#946; Signaling

Phenotypic plasticity of endothelial cells underlies cardiovascular system development, cardiovascular diseases, and various conditions associated with ...

The University of Tokyo

the university of tokyo

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) comprise a gene-regulatory network through sequence complementarity with target mRNAs. Previous studies have shown that mammalian miRNAs decrease many target mRNA levels and reduce protein production predominantly by target mRNA destabilization. However, it has not yet been fully assessed whether this scheme is widely applicable to more realistic conditions with multiple miRNA fluctuations. By combining two analytical frameworks for detecting the enrichment of gene sets, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and Functional Assignment of miRNAs via Enrichment (FAME), we developed GSEA-FAME analysis (GFA), which enables the prediction of miRNA activities from mRNA expression data using rank-based enrichment analysis and weighted evaluation of miRNA-mRNA interactions. This cooperative approach delineated a better widespread correlation between miRNA expression levels and predicted miRNA activities in cancer transcriptomes, thereby providing proof-of-concept of the mRNA-destabilization scenario. In an integrative analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) multidimensional data including profiles of both mRNA and miRNA, we also showed that GFA-based inference of miRNA activity could be used for the selection of prognostic miRNAs in the development of cancer survival prediction models. This approach proposes a next-generation strategy for the interpretation of miRNA function and identification of target miRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Widespread inference of weighted microRNA-mediated gene regulation in cancer transcriptome analysis.

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) plays central roles in endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) involved in development and pathogenesis. Although EndMT and epithelial-mesenchymal transition are similar processes, roles of microRNAs in EndMT are largely unknown. Here, we report that constitutively active microRNA-31 (miR-31) is a positive regulator of TGF-β-induced EndMT. Although the expression is not induced by TGF-β, miR-31 is required for induction of mesenchymal genes including α-SMA, actin reorganization and MRTF-A activation during EndMT. We identified VAV3, a regulator of actin remodeling and MRTF-A activity, as a miR-31 target. Global transcriptome analysis further showed that miR-31 positively regulates EndMT-associated unique secretory phenotype (EndMT-SP) characterized by induction of multiple inflammatory chemokines and cytokines including CCL17, CX3CL1, CXCL16, IL-6 and Angptl2. As a mechanism for this phenomenon, TGF-β and miR-31 suppress Stk40, a negative regulator of NF-κB pathway. Interestingly, TGF-β induces alternative polyadenylation (APA)-coupled miR-31-dependent Stk40 suppression without concomitant miR-31 induction, and APA-mediated exclusion of internal poly(A) sequence in Stk40 3'UTR enhances target efficiency of Stk40. Finally, miR-31 functions as a molecular hub to integrate TGF-β and TNF-α signaling to enhance EndMT. These data confirm that constitutively active microRNAs, as well as inducible microRNAs, serve as phenotypic modifiers interconnected with transcriptome dynamics during EndMT. 

MicroRNA-31 is a positive modulator of endothelial-mesenchymal transition and associated secretory phenotype induced by TGF-β.

Multiple microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition and endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT). Here we report that microRNA-27b (miR-27b) positively regulates transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced EndMT of MS-1 mouse pancreatic microvascular endothelial cells. TGF-β induced miR-23b/24-1/27b expression, and inhibition of miR-27 suppressed TGF-β-mediated induction of mesenchymal genes. Genome-wide miRNA target analysis revealed that miR-27 targets Elk1, which acts as a competitive inhibitor of myocardin-related transcription factor-serum response factor signalling and as a myogenic repressor. miR-27b was also found to regulate several semaphorin receptors including Neuropilin 2, Plexin A2 and Plexin D1. These results suggest important roles of miR-27 in TGF-β-driven EndMT.

Hajime Mihira

Department of Molecular Pathology,
Graduate School of Medicine,
Department of Molecular Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine

The University of Tokyo

Molecular Analysis of Endothelial-mesenchymal Transition Induced by Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling

Hajime Mihira

Department of Molecular Pathology,Graduate School of Medicine,Department of Molecular Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine

The University of Tokyo

Molecular Analysis of Endothelial-mesenchymal Transition Induced by Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling

Department of Molecular Pathology,
Graduate School of Medicine,
Department of Molecular Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine