Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2020, Vol. 15 ›› Issue (6): 1133-1139.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.270417

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Role of miR-124 in the regulation of retinoic acid-induced Neuro-2A cell diferentiation

Qun You1 , Qiang Gong 1 , Yu-Qiao Han1 , Rou Pi 1 , Yi-Jie Du2, 3 , Su-Zhen Dong 1   

  1. 1 Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Terapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
    2 Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
    3 Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
  • Online:2020-06-15 Published:2020-07-05
  • Contact: Yi-Jie Du, PhD,duyijie@huashan.org.cn; Su-Zhen Dong, PhD,szdong@brain.ecnu.edu.cn.
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai of China, No. 16ZR1410500 (to SZD).

Abstract: Retinoic acid can cause many types of cells, including mouse neuroblastoma Neuro-2A cells, to diferentiate into neurons. However, it is still unknown whether microRNAs (miRNAs) play a role in this neuronal diferentiation. To address this issue, real-time polymerase chain reaction assays were used to detect the expression of several diferentiation-related miRNAs during the diferentiation of retinoic ac- id-treated Neuro-2A cells. Te results revealed that miR-124 and miR-9 were upregulated, while miR-125b was downregulated in retinoic acid-treated Neuro-2A cells. To identify the miRNA that may play a key role, miR-124 expression was regulated by transfection of miRNA mimics or inhibitors. Morphological analysis results showed that inhibition of miR-124 expression reversed the efects of retinoic acid on neurite outgrowth. Moreover, miR-124 overexpression alone caused Neuro-2A cells to diferentiate into neurons, and its inhibitor could block this efect. Tese results suggest that miR-124 plays an important role in retinoic acid-induced diferentiation of Neuro-2A cells.

Key words: immunofuorescence, MAP2, microRNA, miR-124, Neuro-2A cells, neurite outgrowth, neuronal diferentiation, overexpression, real-time PCR, retinoic acid