Gene expression profile (GEP) of CD34+ cells overexpressing miR-494-3p

As recently reported by our group, we performed miRNA and gene expression profiling of CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) isolated from 42 PMF patient samples compared with 31 healthy controls. Integrative analysis of these profiles by means of Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) allowed the identification of several aberrantly regulated miRNA-mRNA target pairs organized in interaction networks. In particular, our results highlighted the up-regulation of miR-494-3p in CD34+ cells from PMF patients (Norfo R et al, Blood, 2014). Interestingly, among the most upregulated miRNAs, miR-494-3p emerges as being associated to the highest number of downregulated target mRNAs. In order to understand the biological role of miR-494-3p during the hematopoietic commitment and differentiation, we overexpressed this miRNA in cord blood (CB) derived-CD34+ cells. Cells were electroporated with either miR-494-3p miRNA mimic (mimic miR-494) or a negative control mimic (mimic Neg CTR). qRT-PCR confirmed miR-494-3p overexpression 24h and 4 days after transfection (RQ ± SEM, 512.60 ± 137.37, p<.01, and 20.63 ± 3.03, p<.01, respectively). Immunophenotypic analysis of CD41 and CD42b megakaryocyte (MK) lineage differentiation markers, performed on serum-free megakaryocytic ultilineage culture at day 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12, demonstrated that miR-494-3p overexpression induces a significant increase in the MK fraction compared to control samples. Accordingly, morphological analysis of May-Grünwald-Giemsa stained cytospins revealed an expansion of megakaryocytic lineage in samples overexpressing miR-494-3p. These data were further confirmed by collagen-based clonogenic assays which showed a significant increase in the percentage of megakaryocytic colonies in miR-494-3p overexpressing samples compared with controls. In order to better characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of miR-494-3p on HSPCs differentiation, we performed gene expression analysis of miR-494-3p overexpressing cells 24 hours after the last nucleofection. Gene expression profile (GEP) was performed on total RNA derived from three independent experiments at 24h after the last nucleofection.