MiR-493-3p inhibits proliferation and promotes differentiation of porcine muscle satellite cells through MKK7/JNK axis

Abstract

Background Skeletal muscle is one of the primary productions in pig industry, and the myogenesis represents one of the main economic traits of pig. MicroRNA (miRNA) plays critical roles in myogenesis of porcine, however, there are a large number of miRNAs that have not been studied in regulating myogenesis. Here, the effects of miR-493-3p on porcine myogenesis was examined. Results The miR-493-3p is strongly enriched in skeletal muscle, especially in the slow-twitch muscle fibers soleus. We further demonstrated that miR-493-3p significantly inhibits the proliferation of porcine primary muscle satellite cells (MSCs). In contrast, miR-493-3p significantly promotes the differentiation of porcine primary MSCs. Mechanistically, bioinformatic analysis and dual luciferase assay results show that the MAP kinase kinase 7 (MKK7) is a direct target of miR-493-3p. Moreover, miR-493-3p inhibits MKK7 expression, leading to the decreased phosphorylated level of JNK (p-JNK), thus regulate myogenesis. Conclusions Overall, these findings suggest that miR-493-3p inhibits proliferation and promotes differentiation of porcine MSCs via inhibiting MKK7/JNK axis. These finding helps to understand the development network of skeletal muscle regulated by miRNA, and provides a theoretical basis for improving pork production.