Binding sites for LIN28 protein found in thousands of human genes

A study led by researchers at the UC San Diego Stem Cell Research program and funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) looks at an important RNA binding protein called LIN28, which is implicated in pluripotency and reprogramming as well as in cancer and other diseases. 

According to the researchers, their study – published in the September 6 online issue of Molecular Cell – will change how scientists view this protein and its impact on human disease.

Studying embryonic stem cells and somatic cells stably expressing LIN28, the researchers defined discrete binding sites of LIN28 in 25 per cent of human transcripts.  In addition, splicing-sensitive microarrays demonstrated that LIN28 expression causes widespread downstream alternative splicing changes –variations in gene products that can result in cancer or other diseases.

''Surprisingly, we discovered that LIN28 not only binds to the non-coding microRNAs, but can also bind directly to thousands of messenger RNAs,'' said first author Melissa Wilbert, a doctoral student in the UC San Diego Biomedical Sciences graduate program.

Messenger RNA or mRNA, are RNA molecules that encode a chemical "blueprint" for the synthesis of a protein.  MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short snippets of RNA that are crucial regulators of cell growth, differentiation, and death.  While they don't encode for proteins, miRNAs are important for regulating protein production in the cell by repressing or ''turning off'' genes.

''The LIN28 protein is linked to growth and development and is important very early in human development,'' said principal investigator Gene Yeo, PhD, MBA, of the department of cellular and molecular medicine, the stem cell research program and the Institute for Genomic Medicine at UC San Diego. ''It is usually turned off in adult tissue, but can be reactivated, for instance, in certain cancers or metabolic disorders, such as obesity.''