MicroRNA-208a is a regulator of cardiac hypertrophy and conduction in mice

J Clin Invest. 2009 Sep;119(9):2772-86. doi: 10.1172/JCI36154. Epub 2009 Aug 10.

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNAs that have gained status as important regulators of gene expression. Here, we investigated the function and molecular mechanisms of the miR-208 family of miRNAs in adult mouse heart physiology. We found that miR-208a, which is encoded within an intron of alpha-cardiac muscle myosin heavy chain gene (Myh6), was actually a member of a miRNA family that also included miR-208b, which was determined to be encoded within an intron of beta-cardiac muscle myosin heavy chain gene (Myh7). These miRNAs were differentially expressed in the mouse heart, paralleling the expression of their host genes. Transgenic overexpression of miR-208a in the heart was sufficient to induce hypertrophic growth in mice, which resulted in pronounced repression of the miR-208 regulatory targets thyroid hormone-associated protein 1 and myostatin, 2 negative regulators of muscle growth and hypertrophy. Studies of the miR-208a Tg mice indicated that miR-208a expression was sufficient to induce arrhythmias. Furthermore, analysis of mice lacking miR-208a indicated that miR-208a was required for proper cardiac conduction and expression of the cardiac transcription factors homeodomain-only protein and GATA4 and the gap junction protein connexin 40. Together, our studies uncover what we believe are novel miRNA-dependent mechanisms that modulate cardiac hypertrophy and electrical conduction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cardiac Myosins / deficiency
  • Cardiac Myosins / genetics
  • Cardiac Myosins / metabolism
  • Cardiomegaly / etiology*
  • Cardiomegaly / genetics*
  • Cardiomegaly / metabolism
  • Cardiomegaly / pathology
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Gene Expression
  • Heart / growth & development
  • Heart Conduction System / physiology*
  • Introns
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Myosin Heavy Chains / deficiency
  • Myosin Heavy Chains / genetics
  • Myosin Heavy Chains / metabolism
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • MicroRNAs
  • Mirn208 microRNA, mouse
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Cardiac Myosins
  • Myosin Heavy Chains