MicroRNA-5110 regulates pigmentation by cotargeting melanophilin and WNT family member 1

Mammalian pigmentation requires the production of melanin by melanocytes and its transfer to neighboring keratinocytes. These complex processes are regulated by several molecular pathways. Melanophilin (MLPH) and WNT family member 1 (WNT1), known to be involved in melanin transfer and melanin production, respectively, were predicted to be targets of microRNA-5110 using bioinformatics. In the current study, we investigated the effects of microRNA-5110 on pigmentation in alpaca (Vicugna pacos) melanocytes. In situ hybridization identified high levels of microRNA-5110 in the cytoplasm of alpaca melanocytes. Luciferase activity assays confirmed that MLPH and WNT1 were targeted by microRNA-5110 in these cells. Overexpression and knockdown of microRNA-5110 in alpaca melanocytes downregulated and upregulated MLPH and WNT1 expression at the mRNA and protein levels, respectively. In addition, overexpression and knockdown of microRNA-5110 in alpaca melanocytes decreased and increased, respectively, the mRNA levels ...