Overexpression of microRNAs from the Gtl2-Rian locus contributes to postnatal death in mice

The Dlk1-Dio3 imprinted domain functions in embryonic development but the roles of noncoding RNAs expressed from this domain remain unclear. We addressed this question by generating transgenic (TG) mice harbouring a BAC carrying IG-DMR (intergenic-differentially methylated region), Gtl2-DMR, Gtl2, Rtl1/Rtl1as, and part of Rian. High postnatal lethality (>85%) of the BAC-TG pups was observed in the maternally transmitted individuals (MAT-TG), but not following paternal transmission (PAT-TG). The DNA methylation status of IG-DMR and Gtl2-DMR in the BAC-allele was paternally imprinted similar to the genomic allele. The mRNA-Seq and miRNA-Seq analysis revealed marked expression changes in the MAT-TG, with 1,500 upregulated and 2,131 downregulated genes. The long noncoding RNAs and 12 miRNAs containing the BAC locus were markedly enhanced in the MAT-TG. We identified the 24 target genes of the overexpressed miRNAs and confirmed the downregulation in the MAT-TG. Notably, overexpression of mir770, mir493, and mir665 from Gtl2 in the MAT-TG embryos led to decreased expression of the 3 target genes, Col5a1, Pcgf2, and Clip2. Our results suggest that decreased expression of the 3 target genes concomitant with overexpression of the miRNAs within Gtl2 may be involved in the postnatal death in the MAT-TG. Because this imprinted domain is well conserved between mice and humans, the results of genetic and molecular analysis in mice hold important implications for related human disorders such as Temple syndrome.