Inhibition of miR-29c promotes proliferation, and inhibits apoptosis and differentiation in P19 embryonic carcinoma cells

In our previous study, the upregulation of microRNA (miR)-29c was identified in the mother of a fetus with a congenital heart defect. However, the functional and regulatory mechanisms of miR-29c in the development of the heart remain to be elucidated. In the present study, the role and mechanism of miR-29c inhibition in heart development were investigated in an embryonic carcinoma cell model. Inhibition of miR-29c promoted proliferation, and suppressed the apoptosis and differentiation of P19 cells. It was also demonstrated that Wingless-related MMTV integration site 4 (Wnt4) was a target of miR-29c, determined using bioinformatic analysis combined with luciferase assays. The inhibition of miR-29c stimulated the WNT4/-catenin pathway, promoting proliferation of the P19 cells, but suppressing their differentiation into cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, the inhibition of miR-29c promoted the expression of B cell lymphoma-2 and inhibited cell apoptosis. These results demonstrate the significance of miR-29c in the process of cardiac development and suggest that miR-29c dysregulation may be associated with the occurrence of CHD. Thus, miR-29c may have therapeutic potential in the future.