<i>Drosophila miR-263b-5p</i> controls wing developmental growth by targeting <i>Akt</i>

Tissue growth is controlled by various signaling pathways, such as the insulin/IGF-signaling (IIS) pathway. Although IIS activation is regulated by a complex regulatory network, the mechanism underlying miRNA-based regulation of the IIS pathway in <i>Drosophila</i> wing development remains unclear. In this study, we found that the wing size of adult flies was negatively affected by miR-263b expression. The miR-263b-mediated alteration in wing size was linked to a reduction in wing cell number. Additionally, <i>miR-263b</i> overexpression in <i>Drosophila</i> S2 cells decreased cell proliferation and increased cell death. Consequently, we identified <i>Akt</i> as a direct target of miR-263b-5p and found that miR-263b-mediated wing growth regulation was due to changes in <i>Akt</i> expression. Co-expression of <i>Akt</i> in <i>miR-263b</i>-overexpressing wings rescued the <i>miR-263b</i> overexpression-mediated reduction in wing growth. These results enhance our understanding of the crucial role of miRNAs in growth regulation during <i>Drosophila</i> wing development.