Quantitative differential expression analysis reveals miR-7 as major islet microRNA.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding gene products that regulate gene expression through specific binding to target mRNAs. Cell-specific patterns of miRNAs are associated with the acquisition and maintenance of a given phenotype, such as endocrine pancreas (islets). We hypothesized that a subset of miRNAs could be differentially expressed in the islets. Using miRNA microarray technology and quantitative RT-PCR we identified a subset of miRNAs that are the most differentially expressed islet miRNAs (ratio islet/acinar>150-fold), miR-7 being the most abundant. A similarly high ratio for miR-7 was observed in human islets. The ratio islet/acinar for miR-375, a previously described islet miRNA, was <10 and is 2.5x more abundant in the islets than miR-7. Therefore, we conclude that miR-7 is the most abundant endocrine miRNA in islets while miR-375 is the most abundant intra-islet miRNA. Our results may offer new insights into regulatory pathways of islet gene expression.
Bravo-Egana
Valia
V
Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, 1450 NW 10th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
Rosero
Samuel
S
Molano
R Damaris
RD
Pileggi
Antonello
A
Ricordi
Camillo
C
Domínguez-Bendala
Juan
J
Pastori
Ricardo L
RL
D000818:Animals; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
C574979:MIRN375 microRNA, rat; D035683:MicroRNAs