MicroRNA-27a-3p is a negative regulator of lung fibrosis by targeting myofibroblast differentiation
American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, 2016•atsjournals.org
Although microRNAs (miRs) have been well recognized to play an important role in the
pathogenesis of organ fibrosis, there is a lack of evidence as to whether miRs directly
regulate the differentiation of myofibroblasts, the putative effector cells during pathological
fibrogenesis. In this study, we found that levels of miR-27a-3p were up-regulated in
transforming growth factor-β1–treated human lung fibroblasts in a Smad2/3-dependent
manner and in fibroblasts isolated from lungs of mice with experimental pulmonary fibrosis …
pathogenesis of organ fibrosis, there is a lack of evidence as to whether miRs directly
regulate the differentiation of myofibroblasts, the putative effector cells during pathological
fibrogenesis. In this study, we found that levels of miR-27a-3p were up-regulated in
transforming growth factor-β1–treated human lung fibroblasts in a Smad2/3-dependent
manner and in fibroblasts isolated from lungs of mice with experimental pulmonary fibrosis …
Although microRNAs (miRs) have been well recognized to play an important role in the pathogenesis of organ fibrosis, there is a lack of evidence as to whether miRs directly regulate the differentiation of myofibroblasts, the putative effector cells during pathological fibrogenesis. In this study, we found that levels of miR-27a-3p were up-regulated in transforming growth factor-β1–treated human lung fibroblasts in a Smad2/3-dependent manner and in fibroblasts isolated from lungs of mice with experimental pulmonary fibrosis. However, both basal and transforming growth factor-β1–induced expression of miR-27a-3p were reduced in lung fibroblasts from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis compared with that from normal control subjects. Overexpression of miR-27a-3p inhibited, whereas knockdown of miR-27a-3p enhanced, the differentiation of lung fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. We found that miR-27a-3p directly targeted the phenotypic marker of myofibroblasts, α-smooth muscle actin, and two key Smad transcription factors, Smad2 and Smad4. More importantly, we found that therapeutic expression of miR-27a-3p in mouse lungs through lentiviral delivery diminished bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis. In conclusion, our data suggest that miR-27a-3p functions via a negative-feedback mechanism in inhibiting lung fibrosis. This study also indicates that targeting miR-27a-3p is a novel therapeutic approach to treat fibrotic organ disorders, including lung fibrosis.
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