MiR-106b-5p Regulates the Reprogramming of Spermatogonial Stem Cells into iPSC (Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell)-Like Cells

Hasani Fard, Amir Hossein; Valizadeh, Mahmoud; Mazaheri, Zohreh; Hosseini, Jalil

doi:10.52547/ibj.3594

MiR-106b-5p Regulates the Reprogramming of Spermatogonial Stem Cells into iPSC (Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell)-Like Cells

Authors

Amir Hossein Hasani Fard ¹

Mahmoud Valizadeh ¹

Zohreh Mazaheri ²

Jalil Hosseini ¹

¹ Men’s Health and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

² Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

10.52547/ibj.3594

Abstract

Background: Recent years have brought notable progress in raising the efficiency of the reprogramming technique so that approaches have evolved from known transgenic factors to only a few miRNAs. Nevertheless, there is a poor understanding of both the key factors and biological networks underlying this reprogramming. The present study aimed to investigate the potential of miR-106b-5p in regulating spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) to induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-like cells.

Methods: We used SSCs because pluripotency is inducible in SSCs under defined culture conditions, and they have a few issues compared to other adult stem cells. As both signaling and post-transcriptional gene controls are critical for pluripotency regulation, we traced the expression of Oct-4, Sox-2, Klf-4, c-Myc, and Nanog (OSKMN). Besides, we considered miR-106b-5p targets using bioinformatic methods.

Results: Our results showed that transfected SSCs with miR-106b-5p increased the expression of the OSKMN factors, which was significantly more than negative control groups. Moreover, using the functional miRNA enrichment analysis, online tools, and databases, we predicted that miR-106b-5p targeted a signaling pathway gene named MAPK1/ERK2, related to regulating stem cell pluripotency.

Conclusion: Together, our data suggest that miR-106b-5p regulates the reprogramming of SSCs into iPSC-like cells. Furthermore, noteworthy progress in the in vitro development of SSCs indicates promise reservoirs and opportunities for future clinical trials.

Keywords

Computational Biology

MicroRNAs

Pluripotent Stem Cells

Signal Transduction