MiR-23a, miR-24 and miR-27a protect differentiating ESCs from BMP4-induced apoptosis.

ABSTRACT: Numerous studies have indicated that BMP4 signaling is involved in the regulation of the early steps of development. In mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs), BMP4 is crucial to sustain pluripotency and blocks differentiation towards neural fate. Here, through a systematic analysis of miRNAs in ESCs, we establish that BMP4 signaling regulates miR-23a, 27a and 24-2, through the recruitment of phospho-Smads at the promoter of the gene encoding this miRNA cluster. Suppression of miR-23a/b, 27a/b and 24 does not affect self-renewal or pluripotency, but induces an evident change of ESC differentiation, with a significant increase of the cells undergoing apoptosis after the transition from ESCs to epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs). BMP4 has been previously reported to cause apoptosis during ESC different

SUBMITTER: Musto A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4423186 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature