Project description:Neurogenesis is a pro-survival process that comprises of dendritic and axonal growth, synaptogenesis, synaptic and neuronal pruning. These complex processes are determined by temporal gene expression during development, which is in turn tightly regulated by long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs. In this study, we investigated the processes implicated in the maturation of primary neuronal cultures based on RNA expression profiling. Correlation between neuron specific gene ontologies of mRNA and non-coding RNAs identified direct regulation of axonogenesis and dendritogenesis. Temporally regulated mRNA and their associated long non-coding RNAs were significantly overrepresented in proliferation and differentiation associated signalling, cell adhesion molecules and neurotrophin signalling pathways during neuronal maturation. Long non-coding RNAs associated with Axin2, Cntn1, Ncam1, Negr1, Ntrk2, Nrxn1 and Sh2b3 displayed an inverse expression profile to their mRNA whereas long non-coding RNA -mRNA pairs for Kit, Prkcb and Ralgds displayed similar expression profiles. These genes were also predicted targets of the altered miRNAs, miR-124, -128, -129-5p, -203, -218, -290-5p, -326, -329, -377 and -495. These microRNAs particularly regulate the cell adhesion molecules, Cntn1, Ncam1, Negr1 and Nrxn1 that determine axonogenesis and dendritogenesis, supporting the observed co-regulation of these biological processes by non-coding RNAs. Verification of expression of these long non-coding RNA-mRNA pairs in an in vitro model of ischemic-reperfusion injury showed an inverse expression profile, thus confirming their role(s) in maintenance of the neuronal structure and function. This neuronal transcriptome (mRNAs, lncRNAs, miRNAs) is in turn orchestrated by C/EBPM-NM-1/M-NM-2 transcription factors and CTCF, thereby governing intricate control of neuronal development. microRNA expression profiling of maturing primary cortical neurons from E15 mouse embryos. Maturing neurons were harvested on Days 2, 4, 6 and 8.
Project description:Neurogenesis is a pro-survival process that comprises of dendritic and axonal growth, synaptogenesis, synaptic and neuronal pruning. These complex processes are determined by temporal gene expression during development, which is in turn tightly regulated by long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs. In this study, we investigated the processes implicated in the maturation of primary neuronal cultures based on RNA expression profiling. Correlation between neuron specific gene ontologies of mRNA and non-coding RNAs identified direct regulation of axonogenesis and dendritogenesis. Temporally regulated mRNA and their associated long non-coding RNAs were significantly overrepresented in proliferation and differentiation associated signalling, cell adhesion molecules and neurotrophin signalling pathways during neuronal maturation. Long non-coding RNAs associated with Axin2, Cntn1, Ncam1, Negr1, Ntrk2, Nrxn1 and Sh2b3 displayed an inverse expression profile to their mRNA whereas long non-coding RNA -mRNA pairs for Kit, Prkcb and Ralgds displayed similar expression profiles. These genes were also predicted targets of the altered miRNAs, miR-124, -128, -129-5p, -203, -218, -290-5p, -326, -329, -377 and -495. These microRNAs particularly regulate the cell adhesion molecules, Cntn1, Ncam1, Negr1 and Nrxn1 that determine axonogenesis and dendritogenesis, supporting the observed co-regulation of these biological processes by non-coding RNAs. Verification of expression of these long non-coding RNA-mRNA pairs in an in vitro model of ischemic-reperfusion injury showed an inverse expression profile, thus confirming their role(s) in maintenance of the neuronal structure and function. This neuronal transcriptome (mRNAs, lncRNAs, miRNAs) is in turn orchestrated by C/EBPM-NM-1/M-NM-2 transcription factors and CTCF, thereby governing intricate control of neuronal development. mRNA and long non-coding RNA expression profiling of maturing primary cortical neurons from E15 mouse embryos and neurons subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation. Maturing neurons were harvested on Days 2, 4, 6 and 8. Neurons on Day 6 were subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation for different time periods and 24 hours reperfusion before being harvested.
Project description:Neurogenesis is a pro-survival process that comprises of dendritic and axonal growth, synaptogenesis, synaptic and neuronal pruning. These complex processes are determined by temporal gene expression during development, which is in turn tightly regulated by long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs. In this study, we investigated the processes implicated in the maturation of primary neuronal cultures based on RNA expression profiling. Correlation between neuron specific gene ontologies of mRNA and non-coding RNAs identified direct regulation of axonogenesis and dendritogenesis. Temporally regulated mRNA and their associated long non-coding RNAs were significantly overrepresented in proliferation and differentiation associated signalling, cell adhesion molecules and neurotrophin signalling pathways during neuronal maturation. Long non-coding RNAs associated with Axin2, Cntn1, Ncam1, Negr1, Ntrk2, Nrxn1 and Sh2b3 displayed an inverse expression profile to their mRNA whereas long non-coding RNA -mRNA pairs for Kit, Prkcb and Ralgds displayed similar expression profiles. These genes were also predicted targets of the altered miRNAs, miR-124, -128, -129-5p, -203, -218, -290-5p, -326, -329, -377 and -495. These microRNAs particularly regulate the cell adhesion molecules, Cntn1, Ncam1, Negr1 and Nrxn1 that determine axonogenesis and dendritogenesis, supporting the observed co-regulation of these biological processes by non-coding RNAs. Verification of expression of these long non-coding RNA-mRNA pairs in an in vitro model of ischemic-reperfusion injury showed an inverse expression profile, thus confirming their role(s) in maintenance of the neuronal structure and function. This neuronal transcriptome (mRNAs, lncRNAs, miRNAs) is in turn orchestrated by C/EBPα/β transcription factors and CTCF, thereby governing intricate control of neuronal development.
Project description:Neurogenesis is a pro-survival process that comprises of dendritic and axonal growth, synaptogenesis, synaptic and neuronal pruning. These complex processes are determined by temporal gene expression during development, which is in turn tightly regulated by long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs. In this study, we investigated the processes implicated in the maturation of primary neuronal cultures based on RNA expression profiling. Correlation between neuron specific gene ontologies of mRNA and non-coding RNAs identified direct regulation of axonogenesis and dendritogenesis. Temporally regulated mRNA and their associated long non-coding RNAs were significantly overrepresented in proliferation and differentiation associated signalling, cell adhesion molecules and neurotrophin signalling pathways during neuronal maturation. Long non-coding RNAs associated with Axin2, Cntn1, Ncam1, Negr1, Ntrk2, Nrxn1 and Sh2b3 displayed an inverse expression profile to their mRNA whereas long non-coding RNA -mRNA pairs for Kit, Prkcb and Ralgds displayed similar expression profiles. These genes were also predicted targets of the altered miRNAs, miR-124, -128, -129-5p, -203, -218, -290-5p, -326, -329, -377 and -495. These microRNAs particularly regulate the cell adhesion molecules, Cntn1, Ncam1, Negr1 and Nrxn1 that determine axonogenesis and dendritogenesis, supporting the observed co-regulation of these biological processes by non-coding RNAs. Verification of expression of these long non-coding RNA-mRNA pairs in an in vitro model of ischemic-reperfusion injury showed an inverse expression profile, thus confirming their role(s) in maintenance of the neuronal structure and function. This neuronal transcriptome (mRNAs, lncRNAs, miRNAs) is in turn orchestrated by C/EBPα/β transcription factors and CTCF, thereby governing intricate control of neuronal development.
Project description:Approximately half of all microRNAs reside within intronic regions and are often co-transcribed with their host genes. However, most studies on intronic microRNAs focus on individual microRNAs, and conversely most studies on protein-coding and non-coding genes frequently ignore any intron-derived microRNAs. We hypothesize that the individual components of such multi-genic loci may play cooperative or competing roles in driving disease progression, and that examining the combinatorial effect of these components would uncover deeper insights into their functional importance. To address this, we perform systematic analyses of intronic microRNA:host loci in colon cancer. We observe that the FTX locus, comprising of a long non-coding RNA FTX and multiple intronic microRNAs, is highly upregulated in cancer and demonstrate that cooperativity within this multi-component locus promotes cancer growth. In addition, we show that FTX interacts with DHX9 and DICER and delineate its novel roles in regulating A-to-I RNA editing and microRNA expression. These results show for the first time that a long non-coding RNA can regulate A-to-I RNA editing, further expanding the functional repertoire of long non-coding RNAs. We further demonstrate the inhibitory effects of intronic miR-374b and -545 on the tumor suppressors PTEN and RIG-I to enhance the proto-oncogenic PI3K-AKT signaling. Finally, we show that intronic miR-421 may exert an autoregulatory effect on miR-374b and -545. Taken together, our data unveil the intricate interplay between intronic microRNAs and their host transcripts in the modulation of key signaling pathways and disease progression, adding new perspectives to the functional landscape of multi-genic loci.
Project description:The development of neural circuits in the human cortex is considerably prolonged in comparison to non-human primates, a trait which contributes to the remarkable cognitive capacity of modern humans. In contrast to protein-coding genes, non-coding genes underwent a dramatic expansion during evolution, suggesting their involvement in human-specific aspects of brain development. Here, using a glial free human-induced pluripotent stem-cell derived neuron model (“igNeurons”), we show widespread expression and dynamic regulation of various non-coding RNA classes, including microRNAs, during human excitatory synapse development. The expression of a human-specific microRNA, miR-1229-3p, strongly correlates with the neuromorphological trajectory of igNeurons. miR-1229-3p inhibition promotes the formation of excitatory synaptic co-clusters at early stages but reduces dendritic arborization in more mature neurons, consistent with accelerated neuronal maturation. Morphological alterations are accompanied by enhanced calcium spike activity and excitatory synaptic transmission. Mechanistically, miR-1229-3p controls mitochondrial homeostasis by directly targeting important regulators of mitochondrial autophagy and fission, such as Pink1. Stimulation of mitochondrial metabolism rescues the enhanced calcium spike activity in miR-1229-3p depleted neurons, demonstrating a causal involvement of mitochondrial homeostasis. Thus, our findings reveal an important function of human-specific miR-1229-3p in developmental timing of human synaptogenesis and generally implicate non-coding RNAs in the control of human connectivity and cognition.
Project description:There is already strong evidence indicating that different types of non-coding RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs, are key players in the regulation of β-cell functions and in the development of diabetes. However, the role of the newly discovered class of circular RNAs remains to be elucidated. We therefore analysed circular RNA expression in human islet samples.