miR-130a和miR-125b在川崎病外周血细胞中的表达及意义

目的 通过检测miR-130a 和miR-125b 在伴或不伴冠脉扩张（CAD）川崎病（KD）患儿与正常健康儿童外周血单核细胞（PBMC）中的表达差异,探讨两者可否作为KD 和CAD诊断及预后评估的全新血清生物标志物。方法 利用基因芯片技术筛选出KD 患儿与正常健康儿童之前具有差异表达的miRNAs,通过生物信息学分析,确定候选基因。进一步选取KD 患儿30 例（伴或不伴CAD 各15 例）、正常健康儿童15 例,采用茎环RT-PCR 的方法,验证候选基因miR-130a 和miR-125b 在PBMC 中的表达情况。结果 （1）通过基因芯片技术,分析KD 患儿与正常健康儿童PBMC 中存在明显差异表达的miRNA 共63 条,经过生物信息学分析,确定候选基因;（2）通过茎环RT-PCR 验证发现miR-130a 和miR-125b 在患儿IVIG 治疗前表达明显下调,而IVIG治疗后表达明显上调（P＜0.05）;（3）伴CAD 的KD 患儿miR-130a 及miR-125b 表达较不伴CAD 明显升高,且呈正相关性（R2 =0.734,mir-130a;R2 =0.709,miR-125b）;（4）ROC 曲线分析表明miR-130a（特异度87.5%和敏感度77.5%）和miR-125b（特异度83.3%和敏感度76.6%）对KD 及CAD 的判断有较高的特异度和敏感度。结论 PBMC 中的miR-130a 和miR-125b 参与了KD的发生与发展,可作为KD 及CAD诊断及预后评估的一项全新血清生物标志物,并为KD冠脉扩张的防治提供新的思路。     

Magnetobiosensors Based on Viral Protein p19 for MicroRNA Determination in Cancer Cells and Tissues

MicroRNAs (miRs) have emerged as important clinical biomarkers with both diagnostic and prognostic value for relevant diseases, such as cancer. MiRs pose unique challenges for detection and are currently detected by northern blotting, real‐time PCR, and microarray techniques. These expensive, complicated, and time‐consuming techniques are not feasible for on‐site miR determination. In this study, amperometric magnetobiosensors involving RNA‐binding viral protein p19 as a selective biorecognition element were developed for miR quantification. The p19‐based magnetosensors were able to detect 0.4 fmol of a synthetic target and endogenous miR‐21 (selected as a model for its role in a wide variety of cancers) in only 2 h in total RNA extracted from cancer cells and human breast‐tumor specimens without PCR amplification and sample preprocessing. These results open up formidable perspectives for the diagnosis and prognosis of human cancers and for drug‐discovery programs.     

In silico analysis of proteins and microRNAs related to human African trypanosomiasis in tsetse fly

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness, causes millions of deaths worldwide. HAT is primarily transmitted by the vector tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans). Early diagnosis remains a key objective for treating this disease. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are evolutionarily conserved small non-coding RNAs that play key roles in vector-borne diseases. To date, the roles of proteins and miRNAs in HAT disease have not been thoroughly elucidated. In this study, we have re-annotated the function of protein-coding genes and identified several miRNAs based on a series of bioinformatics tools. A batch of 81.1 % of tsetse fly proteins could be determined homology in mosquito genome, suggesting their probable similar mechanisms in vector-borne diseases. A set of 11 novel salivary proteins and 14 midgut proteins were observed in the tsetse fly, which could be applied to the development of vaccine candidates for the control of HAT disease. In addition, 35 novel miRNAs were identified, among which 10 miRNAs were found to be unique in tsetse fly. Pathway analysis of these 10 miRNAs indicated that targets of miR-15a-5p were significantly enriched in the HAT-related neurotrophin signaling pathway. Besides, topological analysis of the miRNA-gene network indicated that miR-619-5p and miR-2490-3p targeted several genes that respond to trypanosome infection, including thioester-containing protein Tep1 and heat shock protein Hsp60a. In conclusion, our work helps to elucidate the function of miRNAs in tsetse fly and establishes a foundation for further investigations into the molecular regulatory mechanisms of HAT disease.     

DNA‐Hybrid‐Gated Multifunctional Mesoporous Silica Nanocarriers for Dual‐Targeted and MicroRNA‐Responsive Controlled Drug Delivery

The design of an ideal drug delivery system with targeted recognition and zero premature release, especially controlled and specific release that is triggered by an exclusive endogenous stimulus, is a great challenge. A traceable and aptamer‐targeted drug nanocarrier has now been developed; the nanocarrier was obtained by capping mesoporous silica‐coated quantum dots with a programmable DNA hybrid, and the drug release was controlled by microRNA. Once the nanocarriers had been delivered into HeLa cells by aptamer‐mediated recognition and endocytosis, the overexpressed endogenous miR‐21 served as an exclusive key to unlock the nanocarriers by competitive hybridization with the DNA hybrid, which led to a sustained lethality of the HeLa cells. If microRNA that is exclusively expressed in specific pathological cell was screened, a combination of chemotherapy and gene therapy should pave the way for a targeted and personalized treatment of human diseases.     

几种内源性小RNA的比较

RNA干涉是近年来的研究热点,广泛参与生物发育、细胞分化、细胞凋亡等多种生物学过程。本文综述了近年来对转录后靶基因调控的几种小RNA：siRNA、microRNA、piRNA和endo-siRNA,从特点、生物发生过程和生物学功能方面进行了综述性地比较,以期为进一步深入研究提供参考。