title: Ink4a/Arf regulation by let-7b and Hmga2: a genetic pathway governing stem cell aging.
abstract: Stem cell self-renewal capacity declines with age. In a recent issue of Cell, Nishino and colleagues (2008) show that Hmga2 maintains neural stem cell (NSC) function in young mice through repression of the Ink4a/Arf locus; in contrast, during aging, elevated let-7b blocks Hmga2 and contributes to declining NSC function.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tzatsos
authors.forename: Nabeel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bardeesy
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000235:genetics*; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D025743:HMGA2 Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D025803:Tumor Suppressor Protein p14ARF / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D025743:HMGA2 Protein; D035683:MicroRNAs; D025803:Tumor Suppressor Protein p14ARF; C487931:mirnlet7 microRNA, human