Our objective was to investigate the miRNA profile of embryonic tissues in ectopic pregnancies (EPs) and controlled abortions (voluntary termination of pregnancy; VTOP). Twenty-three patients suffering from tubal EP and twenty-nine patients with a normal ongoing pregnancy scheduled for a VTOP were recruited. Embryonic tissue samples were analyzed by miRNA microarray and further validated by rea...

Today the regulatory role of microRNAs (miRs) is well characterized in many diverse cel- lular processes. MiR-based regulation is categorized under epigenetic regulatory mecha- nisms. These small non-coding RNAs participate in producing and maturing erythrocytes, expressing hematopoietic factors and regulating expression of globin genes by post-tran- scriptional gene silencing. The changes in e...

Erythrocytes carrying a variant hemoglobin allele (HbS), which causes sickle cell disease and resists infection by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The molecular basis of this resistance, which has long been recognized as multifactorial, remains incompletely understood. Here we show that the dysregulated microRNA (miRNA) composition, of either heterozygous HbAS or homozygous HbSS ery...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) control tissue development, but their mechanism of regulation is not well understood. We used a gene complementation strategy combined with microarray screening to identify miRNAs involved in the formation of erythroid (red blood) cells. Two conserved miRNAs, miR 144 and miR 451, emerged as direct targets of the critical hematopoietic transcription factor GATA-1. In vivo, GAT...

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a neuroprotective cytokine, which has been applied in several animal models presenting neurological disorders. One of the proposed modes of action resulting in neuroprotection is post-transcriptional gene expression regulation. This directly brings to mind microRNAs (miRNAs), which are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level....

The aim of the present study was to identify the differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) in patients with colon cancer and examine their roles in the pathogenesis of the disease. The expression profiles of miRNAs were examined in tumor tissue samples collected from 20 patients with histologically confirmed colon cancer and in the adjacent non-cancerous control tissues using microarr...

BACKGROUND Recently, MicroRNAs (miR) and AMP-kinase (AMPK) have emerged as prominent players in the development of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. We hypothesized that components of the adenosine monophosphate-activated kinase (AMPK) pathway are targeted by miRs and alter AMPK signaling during pathological cardiac stress. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Using a mouse model of hypertroph...

BACKGROUND A large number of studies have confirmed that excessive apoptosis is one of the reasons for deficient neuronal function in neural tube defects (NTDs). A previous study from our laboratory used 2-D gel electrophoresis to demonstrate that 14-3-3ζ expression was low in the spinal cords of rat fetuses with spina bifida aperta at embryonic day (E) 17. As a member of the 14-3-3 protein fam...

Background: MicroRNA (miR) dysregulation is found in Alzheimer's disease (AD). A disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) prevents generation of amyloid β (Aβ) and decrease AD pathology. Results: miR-144 suppresses ADAM10 expression and is up-regulated by activator protein-1. Conclusion: miR-144 is negative regulator of ADAM10 and may be involved in AD pathogenesis. Significance: The first w...