Correlation of microRNAs responding to high dose γ-irradiation with predicted target mRNAs in HeLa cells using microarray analyses

An increasing data indicates that altered microRNAs （miRNAs） participate in the radiation-induced DNA damage response. However, a correlation of mRNA and miRNA profiles across the entire genome and in response to irradiation has not been thor- oughly assessed. We analyzed miRNA microarray data collected from HeLa cells after ionizing radiation （IR）, quantified the ex- pression profiles of mRNAs and performed comparative analysis of the data sets using target prediction algorithms, Gene Ontol- ogy （GO） analysis, pathway analysis, and gene network construction. The results showed that the altered miRNAs were involved in regulation of various cellular functions, miRNA-gene network analyses revealed that miR- 186, miR- 106b, miR- 15 a/b, CCND 1 and CDK6 played vital role in the cellular radiation response. Using qRT-PCR, we confirmed that twenty-two miRNAs showed differential expression in HeLa cells treated with IR and some of these miRNAs affected cell cycle progression. This study demonstrated that miRNAs influence gene expression in the entire genome during the cellular radiation response and suggested vital pathways for further research.     

Exosomal MicroRNA as Biomarkers for Diagnosing or Monitoring the Progression of Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma: A Pilot Study

Ovarian cancer is the most common cause of gynecological malignancy-related mortality since early-stage disease is difficult to diagnose. Advanced clear cell carcinoma of the ovary (CCCO) has dismal prognosis, and its incidence has been increasing in Japan, emphasizing the need for highly sensitive diagnostic and prognostic CCCO biomarkers. Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) secreted by tumor cells are known to play a role in carcinogenesis; however, their involvement in ovarian cancer is unclear. In this study, we performed expression profiling of miRNAs from exosomes released by five cell lines representing different histological types of ovarian cancer. Exosomes isolated from culture media of cancer and normal cells were compared for miRNA composition using human miRNA microarray. We detected 143 exosomal miRNAs, whose expression was ≥1.5-fold higher in ovarian cancer cells than in the control. Among them, 28 miRNAs were upregulated in cells of all histological ovarian cancer types compared to control, and three were upregulated in CCCO cells compared to other types. Functional analyses indicated that miR-21 overexpressed in CCCO cells targeted tumor suppressor genes PTEN, TPM1, PDCD4, and MASP1. The identified miRNAs could represent novel candidate biomarkers to diagnose or monitor progression of ovarian cancer, particularly CCCO.     

Electrochemical detection of miRNA-21 based on molecular beacon formed by thymine-mercury(II)-thymine base pairing

We present a molecular beacon-based electrochemical biosensor with high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of microRNA-21. A special oligonucleotide probe was prepared containing a nucleotide sequence complementary to miR-21 and consecutively linking eight and six thymines to the 3′ and 5′ ends, respectively, to allow the formation of a T-Hg²⁺-T complex-based molecular beacon on the electrode surface by the selective binding of Hg²⁺ ions. The introduction of multiple thymines at the end of the probe avoids base overlapping between the miRNA sequence and the molecular beacon formation sequence, enabling a universal probe design that can detect all types of miRNAs. A ferrocene moiety was attached to the 5′-end of the specially designed probe as an electrochemical signal indicator. The molecular beacons are formed by six consecutive T-Hg²⁺-T pairs by Hg²⁺ addition, and the molecular beacons are destroyed by perfect hybridization between 22 bases as a result of miR-21 addition. Based on this detection mechanism, we were able to detect miR-21 with LODs of 0.64 pM and 1.08 pM in buffer solution and human serum, respectively. In addition, the specifically designed oligonucleotide probe showed perfect specificity in detecting only miR-21 without binding to other miRNAs. Finally, the sensor showed excellent miR-21 recovery ability from samples spiked into serum, indicating that the method described in this study worked perfectly, even in a turbid complex matrix such as human serum.