• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.198-206
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• 2018

Aortic dissection (AD) is a catastrophic disease with high mortality and morbidity, characterized with fragmentation of elastin and loss of smooth muscle cells. Although AD has been largely attributable to polymorphisms defect in the elastin-coding gene, tropoelastin (TE), other undermined factors also appear to play roles in AD onset. Here, we investigated the effects of post-transcriptional control of TE by microRNAs (miRNAs) on elastin levels in aortic smooth muscle cells (ASMC). We found that miR-144-3p is a miRNA that targets TE mRNA in both human and mouse. Bioinformatics analyses and dual luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-144-3p inhibited protein translation of TE, through binding to the 3'-UTR of the TE mRNA. Interestingly, higher miR-144-3p levels and lower TE were detected in the ASMC obtained from AD patients, compared to those from non-AD controls. In a mouse model for human AD, infusion of adeno-associated viruses (serotype 6) carrying antisense for miR-144-3p (asmiR-144-3p) under CAG promoter significantly reduced the incidence and severity of AD, seemingly through enhancement of TE levels in ASMC. Thus, our data suggest an essential role of miR-144-3p on the pathogenesis of AD.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.329-336
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• 2010

Myogenic satellite cells (MSCs) are mononuclear, multipotent progenitors of adult skeletal muscle possessing a capacity of forming adipocyte-like cells (ALC). To identify the skeletal muscle type-specific myogenic and adipogenic genes during MSCs differentiation, total RNA was extracted from bovine MSCs, myotube-formed cell (MFC), and ALC from each of Beef shank, Longissimus dorsi, Deep pectoral, and Semitendinosus. DNA microarray analysis (24,000 oligo chip) comparing MSCs with MFC and ALC, respectively, revealed 135 differentially expressed genes (> 4 fold) among four cuts. Real-time PCR confirmed expression of 29 genes. Furthermore, the whole tissue sample RNAs analysis showed 6 differentially expressed genes in Beef shank. Among which, 1 gene in MSCs, 4 in MFC, and 1 in ALCs were highly expressed. This study will provide an insight for better understanding the molecular mechanism of differentiation of skeletal muscle type-specific MSCs. The identified genes may be used as marker to distinguish skeletal muscle types.