Genome-wide microRNA profiling in human fetal nervous tissues by oligonucleotide microarray.
OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to develop an oligonucleotide DNA microarray (OMA) for genome-wide microRNA profiling and use this method to find miRNAs, which control organic development especially for nervous system.


METHODS
Eighteen organic samples included cerebrum and spinal cord samples from two aborted human fetuses. One was 12 gestational weeks old (G12w) and the other was 24 gestational weeks old (G24w). Global miRNA expression patterns of different organs were investigated using OMA and Northern blot.


CONCLUSIONS
The OMA revealed that 72-83% of miRNAs were expressed in human fetal organs. A series of microRNAs were found specifically and higher-expressed in the human fetal nervous system and confirmed consistently by Northern blot, which may play a critical role in nervous system development.
Zhao
Jian-Jun
JJ
Department of Genetics, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Hua
You-Jia
YJ
Sun
Da-Guang
DG
Meng
Xian-Xin
XX
Xiao
Hua-Sheng
HS
Ma
Xu
X
D000367:Age Factors; D005333:Fetus; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D009417:Nerve Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors
D035683:MicroRNAs