Abstract: Objective To investigate the mechanism by which miR-342-3p regulates adipogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stems cells (hAMSCs) and cultured in vitro. Methods HAMSCs were obtained from healthy human adipose tissues. Adipogenic differentiation was induced by adipogenic medium, and determined by Oil Red O staining. The expression of miR-342-3p was detected by RT-qPCR. Then these cells were transfected with miR-342-3p mimics and miR-342-3p inhibitors in the study group and a negative control sequence in the control group. After adipogenic induction, RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the expressions of PPARγ, C/EBPα and LPL. Results The expression of miR-342-3p was significantly elevated during adipogenic differentiation in hAMSCs. miR-342-3p overexpression remarkably promoted hAMSCs differentiate into adipogenic lineage, as indicated by significant increase in the amount of lipid droplets compared with negative control transfected cells. Moreover, the mRNA and protein levels of PPARγ, C/EBPα and LPL were all upregulated significantly (p<0.05). Adipogenesis was significantly blocked by miR-342-3p downregulation. Conclusions miR-342-3p is a differentiation enhancer of the adipogenesis of hAMSCs.

Key words: miRNA-342-3p, mesenchymal stems cells, adipogenic differentiation, regulation mechanism