Objective
MicroRNAs (miRNA) are known to regulate the expression of genes involved in several physiological processes including metabolism, mitochondrial biogenesis, proliferation, differentiation, and cell death.
Methods
Using “in silico” analyses, we identified 219 unique miRNAs that potentially bind to the 3′UTR region of a critical mitochondrial regulator, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator (PGC) 1 alpha (
Pgc1α
). Of the 219 candidate miRNAs,
miR-696
had one of the highest interactions at the 3′UTR of
Pgc1α
, suggesting that
miR-696
may be involved in the regulation of
Pgc1α
.
Results
Consistent with this hypothesis, we found that
miR-696
was highly expressed in the skeletal muscle of STZ-induced diabetic mice and chronic high-fat-fed mice. C2C12 muscle cells exposed to palmitic acid also exhibited a higher expression of
miR-696
. This increased expression corresponded with a reduced expression of oxidative metabolism genes and reduced mitochondrial respiration. Importantly, reducing
miR-696
reversed decreases in mitochondrial activity in response to palmitic acid. Using C2C12 cells treated with the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator AICAR and skeletal muscle from AMPKα2 dominant-negative (DN) mice, we found that the signaling mechanism regulating
miR-696
did not involve AMPK. In contrast, overexpression of SNF1-AMPK-related kinase (SNARK) in C2C12 cells increased
miR-696
transcription while knockdown of SNARK significantly decreased
miR-696
. Moreover, muscle-specific transgenic mice overexpressing SNARK exhibited a lower expression of
Pgc1α
, elevated levels of
miR-696
, and reduced amounts of spontaneous activity.
Conclusions
Our findings demonstrate that metabolic stress increases
miR-696
expression in skeletal muscle cells, which in turn inhibits
Pgc1α
, reducing mitochondrial function. SNARK plays a role in this process as a metabolic stress signaling molecule inducing the expression of
miR-696
.