miR-21 is involved in skeletal deficiencies of zebrafish embryos exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls

Ju, Li; Zhou, Zhiwen; Jiang, Bo; Lou, Yue; Zhang, Zhiqun

miR-21 is involved in skeletal deficiencies of zebrafish embryos exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls

2017

Ju, Li | Zhou, Zhiwen | Jiang, Bo | Lou, Yue | Zhang, Zhiqun

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure increases the incidence and severity of skeletal diseases, but little is known about the mechanisms that mediate this relationship. We exposed zebrafish embryos to PCB₁₂₅₄ and assessed the changes in bone morphology protein receptor II (BMPRII), which is involved in bone formation and embryonic development, miRNA-21, for which BMPRII is a known target, and calcium metabolism. PCB₁₂₅₄ upregulated the expression of miR-21 and suppressed BMPRII expression. The inhibition of miR-21 reversed the downregulation of BMPRII and alleviated the PCB₁₂₅₄-induced loss of calcium. These findings suggest new biomarkers of developmental defects of the skeleton caused by PCBs.

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