MicroRNA News and Research

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In genetics, microRNAs (miRNA) are single-stranded RNA molecules of 21-23 nucleotides in length, which regulate gene expression. miRNAs are encoded by genes from whose DNA they are transcribed but miRNAs are not translated into protein (i.e. they are non-coding RNAs); instead each primary transcript (a pri-miRNA) is processed into a short stem-loop structure called a pre-miRNA and finally into a functional miRNA. Mature miRNA molecules are partially complementary to one or more messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules, and their main function is to down-regulate gene expression.

New RNA-sequencing method can help detect numerous modified small RNAs

A team led by a biomedical scientist at the University of California, Riverside, has developed a new RNA-sequencing method-- "Panoramic RNA Display by Overcoming RNA Modification Aborted Sequencing," or PANDORA-seq -- that can help discover numerous modified small RNAs that were previously undetectable.

5 Apr 2021

Targeting microRNAs makes cancer stem cells more susceptible to chemotherapies

Researchers in Italy have identified a pair of microRNA molecules that help maintain a population of cancerous stem cells that drive the growth of breast cancers and initiate tumor relapse after treatment.

3 Apr 2021

UVA researcher developing innovative gene therapy to help children with Rett syndrome

A University of Virginia School of Medicine scientist is developing an innovative gene therapy she hopes will slow disease progression and improve movement, coordination and communication in children with Rett syndrome.

17 Mar 2021

Researchers identify a possible cause of functional neurological disorder

Researchers believe they may have discovered a possible cause of a mystery condition that can leave sufferers suddenly unable to walk, talk or see.

16 Mar 2021

Otago researchers find how to treat heart disease in type-2 diabetics

University of Otago researchers have discovered one of the reasons why more than 50 per cent of people with type 2 diabetes die from heart disease.

12 Mar 2021

RNA editing events influence gene expression and phenotypic manifestation

Combining computational mining of big data with experimental testing in the lab, researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have identified RNA editing events that influence gene expression and, in turn, the phenotypic manifestation of that expression.

10 Mar 2021

MicroRNAs predict heart and kidney health in children without disease

Molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs) that are measurable in urine have been identified by researchers at Mount Sinai as predictors of both heart and kidney health in children without disease.

27 Feb 2021

Cell-selective nanotherapy can help treat atherosclerotic plaques

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), commonly known as angioplasty with a stent, opens clogged arteries and saves lives. Despite its benefit in treating atherosclerosis that causes coronary artery disease, this common minimally-invasive procedure still poses severe complications for some patients.

11 Feb 2021

Pancreatic β cells secrete miR-29 in response to high levels of free fatty acids

In a new study published in Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, Chen-Yu Zhang's group and Antonio Vidal-Puig's group at University of Cambridge report that pancreatic β cells secrete miR-29 family members (miR-29a, miR-29b and miR-29c) in response to high levels of free fatty acids (FFAs). These β cell-derived miR-29s are delivered to the liver, promoting insulin resistance and enhancing hepatic glucose output.

9 Feb 2021

Reduced expression of TBX15 in tumor tissue represents a prognostic biomarker for HCC patients

The cover for issue 52 of Oncotarget features Figure 1, "Volcano plots of DNA methylation in tumor tissues compared with nontumor tissue," published in "Reduction of T-Box 15 gene expression in tumor tissue is a prognostic biomarker for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma" by Morine, et al. which reported that the authors conducted a genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation of the tumor and non-tumor tissue of 15 patients with Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and revealed TBX15 was the most hypermethylated gene of the tumor.

25 Jan 2021

Pancreatic β cell-derived exosomal miR-29s manipulate glucose homeostasis

In a new study published in Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, Chen-Yu Zhang's group at Nanjing University, School of Life Sciences, and Antonio Vidal-Puig's group at University of Cambridge report that pancreatic β cells secrete miR-29 family members (miR-29s) via exosomes in response to high levels of free fatty acids (FFAs).

22 Jan 2021

New findings could help better understand the mechanisms underlying severe malaria

The levels of small molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs) circulating in blood could help identify early on children with life-threatening forms of malaria, according to a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, an institution supported by "la Caixa" Foundation, in collaboration with the Manhiça Health Research Center (CISM) in Mozambique.

13 Jan 2021

Study shows how cardiosphere-derived cells replenish damaged tissues in dilated cardiomyopathy

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a condition caused by the weakening of the heart muscle, affecting the ventricles (chambers in the heart that push blood around the body as it contracts).

13 Jan 2021

Boosting a natural cellular process could lower ventilator-related lung damage

An unfortunate truth about the use of mechanical ventilation to save the lives of patients in respiratory distress is that the pressure used to inflate the lungs is likely to cause further lung damage.

12 Jan 2021

Nuclear DICER complex disrupts cytoplasmic microRNAome in glioblastoma cancer cells

Like Peter Pan, some cells never grow up. In cancer, undifferentiated stem cells may help tumors such as glioblastoma become more aggressive than other forms of the disease.

8 Jan 2021

Groundbreaking research project shows how brain health can traverse generations

Your father's exercise routine may have made you smarter according to EU-funded researchers studying how lifestyle choices affect brain function and memory. The findings could lead to new treatments for neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.

5 Jan 2021

New tool aids in the discovery of RNA medicines for undruggable diseases

Imagine trying to throw a bullseye when the dartboard lies buried within a crumpled box. That's the challenge faced by scientists working to make new medicines for some "undruggable" diseases, including a type of metastatic breast cancer.

15 Dec 2020

Study findings can guide personalized breast cancer therapies based on melatonin

A Brazilian study published in the Journal of Pineal Research describes a group of genes potentially regulated by the hormone melatonin in some types of cancer, especially breast cancer.

8 Dec 2020

Degenerative process can be reversed by practicing regular aerobic exercise, shows study

Adipose tissue is not just a simple reservoir of energy for periods of food scarcity. It contributes significantly to regulation of the metabolism, releasing various molecules into the bloodstream, including microRNAs that modulate the expression of key genes in different parts of the organism, including the liver, pancreas, and muscles.