Abstract
In our previous study, the upregulation of microRNA (miR)-29c was identified in the mother of a fetus with a congenital heart defect. However, the functional and regulatory mechanisms of miR‑29c in the development of the heart remain to be elucidated. In the present study, the role and mechanism of miR‑29c inhibition in heart development were investigated in an embryonic carcinoma cell model. Inhibition of miR‑29c promoted proliferation, and suppressed the apoptosis and differentiation of P19 cells. It was also demonstrated that Wingless‑related MMTV integration site 4 (Wnt4) was a target of miR‑29c, determined using bioinformatic analysis combined with luciferase assays. The inhibition of miR‑29c stimulated the WNT4/β‑catenin pathway, promoting proliferation of the P19 cells, but suppressing their differentiation into cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, the inhibition of miR‑29c promoted the expression of B cell lymphoma‑2 and inhibited cell apoptosis. These results demonstrate the significance of miR‑29c in the process of cardiac development and suggest that miR-29c dysregulation may be associated with the occurrence of CHD. Thus, miR-29c may have therapeutic potential in the future.