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Narayanan A, Hill-Teran G, Moro A, Ristori E, Kasper DM, A. Roden C, Lu J, Nicoli S. In vivo mutagenesis of miRNA gene families using a scalable multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9 nuclease system. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32386. [PMID: 27572667 PMCID: PMC5004112 DOI: 10.1038/srep32386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A large number of microRNAs (miRNAs) are grouped into families derived from the same phylogenetic ancestors. miRNAs within a family often share the same physiological functions despite differences in their primary sequences, secondary structures, or chromosomal locations. Consequently, the generation of animal models to analyze the activity of miRNA families is extremely challenging. Using zebrafish as a model system, we successfully provide experimental evidence that a large number of miRNAs can be simultaneously mutated to abrogate the activity of an entire miRNA family. We show that injection of the Cas9 nuclease and two, four, ten, and up to twenty-four multiplexed single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) can induce mutations in 90% of the miRNA genomic sequences analyzed. We performed a survey of these 45 mutations in 10 miRNA genes, analyzing the impact of our mutagenesis strategy on the processing of each miRNA both computationally and in vivo. Our results offer an effective approach to mutate and study the activity of miRNA families and pave the way for further analysis on the function of complex miRNA families in higher multicellular organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand Narayanan
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Section of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Guillermina Hill-Teran
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Section of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Albertomaria Moro
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Section of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Emma Ristori
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Section of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Dionna M. Kasper
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Section of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Christine A. Roden
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Yale Stem Cell Center and Yale Cancer Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Jun Lu
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Yale Stem Cell Center and Yale Cancer Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Stefania Nicoli
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Section of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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Luoni A, Riva MA. MicroRNAs and psychiatric disorders: From aetiology to treatment. Pharmacol Ther 2016; 167:13-27. [PMID: 27452338 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2016.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of psychiatric disorders relies on the interaction between genetic vulnerability and environmental adversities. Several studies have demonstrated a crucial role for epigenetics (e.g. DNA methylation, post-translational histone modifications and microRNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation) in the translation of environmental cues into adult behavioural outcome, which can prove to be harmful thus increasing the risk to develop psychopathology. Within this frame, non-coding RNAs, especially microRNAs, came to light as pivotal regulators of many biological processes occurring in the Central Nervous System, both during the neuronal development as well as in the regulation of adult function, including learning, memory and neuronal plasticity. On these basis, in recent years it has been hypothesised a central role for microRNA modulation and expression regulation in many brain disorders, including neurodegenerative disorders and mental illnesses. Indeed, the aim of the present review is to present the most recent state of the art regarding microRNA involvement in psychiatric disorders. We will first describe the mechanisms that regulate microRNA biogenesis and we will report evidences of microRNA dysregulation in peripheral body fluids, in postmortem brain tissues from patients suffering from psychopathology as well as in animal models. Last, we will discuss the potential to consider microRNAs as putative target for pharmacological intervention, using common psychotropic drugs or more specific tools, with the aim to normalize functions that are disrupted in different psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Luoni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Andrea Riva
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy.
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