Dataset integration identifies transcriptional regulation of microRNA genes by PPARgamma in differentiating mouse 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is a key transcription factor in mammalian adipogenesis. Genome-wide approaches have identified thousands of PPARgamma binding sites in mouse adipocytes and PPARgamma upregulates hundreds of protein-coding genes during adipogenesis. However, no microRNA (miRNA) genes have been identified as primary PPARgamma-targets. By integration of four separate datasets of genome-wide PPARgamma binding sites in 3T3-L1 adipocytes we identified 98 miRNA clusters with PPARgamma binding within 50 kb from miRNA transcription start sites. Nineteen mature miRNAs were upregulated >/=2-fold during adipogenesis and for six of these miRNA loci the PPARgamma binding sites were confirmed by at least three datasets. The upregulation of five miRNA genes miR-103-1 (host gene Pank3), miR-148b (Copz1), miR-182/96/183, miR-205 and miR-378 (Ppargc1b) followed that of Pparg. The PPARgamma-dependence of four of these miRNA loci was demonstrated by PPARgamma knock-down and the loci of miR-103-1 (Pank3), miR-205 and miR-378 (Ppargc1b) were also responsive to the PPARgamma ligand rosiglitazone. Finally, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis validated in silico predicted PPARgamma binding sites at all three loci and H3K27 acetylation was analyzed to confirm the activity of these enhancers. In conclusion, we identified 22 putative PPARgamma target miRNA genes, showed the PPARgamma dependence of four of these genes and demonstrated three as direct PPARgamma target genes in mouse adipogenesis.