MicroRNAs regulate Ca2+ homeostasis in murine embryonic stem cells
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Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of embryonic stem cell (ESC) biology, and their study has identified key regulatory mechanisms. To find novel pathways regulated by miRNAs in ESCs, we undertook a bioinformatics analysis of gene pathways differently expressed in the absence of miRNAs due to the deletion of Dicer, which encodes an RNase that is essential for the synthesis of miRNAs. One pathway that stood out was Ca2+ signaling. Interestingly, we found that Dicer-/- ESCs had no difference in basal cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels but were hyperresponsive when Ca2+ import into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) was blocked by thapsigargin. Remarkably, the increased Ca2+ response to thapsigargin in ESCs resulted in almost no increase in apoptosis and no differences in stress response pathways, despite the importance of miRNAs in the stress response of other cell types. The increased Ca2+ response in Dicer-/- ESCs was also observed during purinergic receptor activation, demonstrating a physiological role for the miRNA regulation of Ca2+ signaling pathways. In examining the mechanism of increased Ca2+ responsiveness to thapsigargin, neither store-operated Ca2+ entry nor Ca2+ clearance mechanisms from the cytoplasm appeared to be involved. Rather, it appeared to involve an increase in the expression of one isoform of the IP3 receptors (Itpr2). miRNA regulation of Itpr2 expression primarily appeared to be indirect, with transcriptional regulation playing a major role. Therefore, the miRNA regulation of Itpr2 expression offers a unique mechanism to regulate Ca2+ signaling pathways in the physiology of pluripotent stem cells.
Date Issued
2023-07-28
Date Acceptance
2023-07-24
Citation
Cells, 2023, 12 (15), pp.1-17
ISSN
2073-4409
Publisher
MDPI AG
Start Page
1
End Page
17
Journal / Book Title
Cells
Volume
12
Issue
15
Copyright Statement
© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37566036
PII: cells12151957
Subjects
Animals
Cell Differentiation
Embryonic Stem Cells
Homeostasis
Mice
MicroRNAs
Thapsigargin
Ca2+ regulation
dicer
embryonic stem cells
IP3 receptors
miRNAs
stress response
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
Switzerland
Article Number
1957
Date Publish Online
2023-07-28