miR-486 is an epigenetic modulator of Duchenne muscular dystrophy pathologies [RNA-seq]

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked progressive muscle disorder resulting in muscle weakness and cardiomyopathy. MicroRNAs have shown to play a significant role in muscle development, metabolism, and disease pathologies. We demonstrated that miR-486 expression is reduced in DMD muscles and its expression levels correlate with dystrophic disease severity. miR-486 knockout mice developed disrupted myofiber architecture, decreased myofiber size, decreased locomotor activity, increased fibrosis, and metabolic defects that were exacerbated on the dystrophic mdx5cv background. We integrated RNA-sequencing and chimeric eCLIP-sequencing data to identify direct in vivo targets of miR-486 and associated dysregulated gene signatures in skeletal muscle. Together, our studies identify miR-486 as a driver of muscle remodeling in DMD, a useful biomarker for dystrophic disease progression, and highlight chimeric eCLIP-sequencing as a useful tool to identify direct in vivo microRNA target transcripts. Overall design: Whole TA muscles were isolated from male 6-month wild type (C57/Bl6) and mdx5cv (DMD mouse model on B6 strain background)