| Objective To investigate the effect of microRNA-543 (miR-543) on the adipogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) by targeting and regulating transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2). Methods The rat BMSCs were isolated and identified. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression changes of miR-543 during the induction of adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs. BMSCs cells were cultured in vitro, and were intervened with overexpression of miR-543, inhibition of TCF7L2, or overexpression of both miR-543 and TCF7L2. Cells were cultured in the adipogenic differentiation induction medium. Oil red O staining was used to detect the adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of TCF7L2, adipocyte protein 2 (aP2), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ), and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPa) in BMSCs cells. Dual luciferase reporter gene experiment was used to verify the targeting relationship between miR-543 and TCF7L2. Results The rat BMSCs were successfully isolated. The expression of miR-543 decreased after 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5-d induction of adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs. The dual luciferase reporter gene experiment confirmed that miR-543 had a targeting relationship with TCF7L2. Overexpressing miR-543 or inhibiting the expression of TCF7L2 led to significantly reduction of the OD value, aP2, PPAR-γ, and C/EBPa protein expression levels of BMSCs (P<0.05). Overexpression of TCF7L2 partially reversed the inhibitory effect of overexpression of miR-543 on the adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs cells (P<0.05). Conclusion The expression of miR-543 is down-regulated during the adipogenic differentiation of rat BMSCs. Overexpression of miR-543 inhibits the adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs by targeting the inhibition of TCF7L2 expression. |