Behind the scenes: How RNA orchestrates the epigenetic regulation of gene expression

Non-coding DNA accounts for approximately 98.5% of the human genome. Once labeled as “junk DNA”, this portion of the genome has undergone a progressive re-evaluation and it is now clear that some of its transcriptional products, belonging to the non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), are key players in cell regulatory networks. A growing body of evidence demonstrates the crucial impact of regulatory ncRNAs on mammalian gene expression. Here, we focus on the defined relationship between chromatin-interacting RNAs, particularly long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), enhancer RNA (eRNA), non-coding natural antisense transcript (ncNAT), and circular RNA (circRNA) and epigenome, a common ground where both protein and RNA species converge to regulate cellular functions. Through several examples, this review provides an overview of the variety of targets, interactors, and mechanisms involved in the RNA-mediated modulation of loci-specific epigenetic states, a fundamental evolutive strategy to orchestrate mammalian gene expression in a timely and reversible manner. We will discuss how RNA-mediated epigenetic regulation impacts development and tissue homeostasis and how its alteration contributes to the onset and progression of many different human diseases, particularly cancer

The miR-223 host non-coding transcript linc-223 induces IRF4 expression in acute myeloid leukemia by acting as a competing endogenous RNA

Alterations in genetic programs required for terminal myeloid differentiation and aberrant proliferation characterize acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Here, we identify the host transcript of miR-223, linc-223, as a novel functional long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in AML. We show that from the primary nuclear transcript, the alternative production of miR-223 and linc-223 is finely regulated during monocytic differentiation. Moreover, linc-223 expression inhibits cell cycle progression and promotes monocytic differentiation of AML cells. We also demonstrate that endogenous linc-223 localizes in the cytoplasm and acts as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-125-5p, an oncogenic microRNA in leukemia. In particular, we show that linc-223 directly binds to miR-125-5p and that its knockdown increases the repressing activity of miR-125-5p resulting in the downregulation of its target interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4), which it was previously shown to inhibit the oncogenic activity of miR-125-5p in vivo. Furthermore, data from primary AML samples show significant downregulation of linc-223 in different AML subtypes. Therein, these findings indicate that the newly identified lncRNA linc-223 may have an important role in myeloid differentiation and leukemogenesis, at least in part, by cross-talking with IRF4 mRNA

A Feedforward Regulatory Loop between HuR and the Long Noncoding RNA linc-MD1 Controls Early Phases of Myogenesis

The muscle-specific long noncoding RNA linc-MD1 was shown to be expressed during early phases of muscle differentiation and to trigger the switch to later stages by acting as a sponge for miR-133 and nniR-135. Notably, linc-MD1 is also the host transcript of miR-133b, and their biogenesis is mutually exclusive. Here, we describe that this alternative synthesis is controlled by the HuR protein, which favors linc-MD1 accumulation through its ability to bind linc-MD1 and repress Drosha cleavage. We show that HuR is under the repressive control of miR-133 and that the sponging activity of linc-MD1 consolidates HuR expression in a feedforward positive loop. Finally, we show that HuR also acts in the cytoplasm, reinforcing linc-MD1 sponge activity by cooperating for miRNA recruitment. An increase in nniR-133 synthesis, mainly from the two unrelated miR-133a coding genomic loci, is likely to trigger the exit from this circuitry and progression to later differentiation stages

The microRNA-26a target E2F7 sustains cell proliferation and inhibits monocytic differentiation of acute myeloid leukemia cells

Blocks in genetic programs required for terminal myeloid differentiation and aberrant proliferation characterize acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. 1,25-Dihydroxy-vitamin D3 (VitD3) arrests proliferation of AML cells and induces their differentiation into mature monocytes. In a previous study, we showed that miR-26a was induced upon VitD3-mediated monocytic differentiation. Here, we identify E2F7 as a novel target of miR-26a. We show that E2F7 significantly promotes cell cycle progression and inhibits monocytic differentiation of AML cells. We also demonstrate that E2F7 binds the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(CIP1/WAF1) (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A) promoter repressing its expression. Moreover, interfering with E2F7 expression results in inhibition of c-Myc (v-myc myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog) transcriptional activity. This leads to the downregulation of c-Myc transcriptional target miR-17-92 cluster, whose expression has a well-defined role in contributing to block monocytic differentiation and sustain AML cell proliferation. Finally, we show that the expression of E2F7 is upregulated in primary blasts from AML patients. Thus, these findings indicate that the newly identified miR-26a target E2F7 might have an important role in monocytic differentiation and leukemogenesis. Cell Death and Disease (2012) 3, e413; doi:10.1038/cddis.2012.151; published online 25 October 201