Regulatory circuits involving miRNA-mediated repression of MAL/MRTF-A in smooth muscle cells

The development and differentiation of muscle cells is a complex process including several signaling pathways, transcription factors and posttranscriptional processes. Among the critical factors is MRTF-A, a transcriptional coactivator of serum response factor (SRF). MRTF-A is a key protein in the differentiation process of muscle cells and activates several differentiation markers like SM22, smooth muscle α-actin and skeletal α-actin. Latest data showed that MRTF-A is posttranscriptionally regulated in smooth muscle cells by miRNA. These findings are consistent with our own preliminary  results that miR-1, miR-206 and miR-219 are candidates for regulating MRTF-A. Within this project we aim to investigate which miRNAs in muscle cells bind and suppress the mRNA of MRTF-A and how they modulate muscle cell fate and behavior.