Microarray profiling of microRNAs expressed in testis tissues of developing primates.
OBJECTIVE
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that have been identified as potent regulators of gene expression. Recent studies indicate that miRNAs are involved in mammalian spermatogenesis but the mechanism of regulation is largely unknown.


METHODS
miRNA microarray was employed to compare miRNA expression profiles of testis tissues from immature rhesus monkey (Sample IR), mature rhesus monkey (Sample MR), and mature human (Sample MH). Real-time RT-PCR was used to confirm the changed miRNAs.


RESULTS
Twenty-six miRNAs were shared by samples IR/MR and IR/MH with differential expression patterns greater than three-fold difference. PicTar and TargetScan prediction tools predicted a number of target mRNAs, and some of these target genes predicted by miRNAs have been shown to associate with spermatogenesis.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that miRNAs are extensively involved in spermatogenesis and provide additional information for further studies of spermatogenetic mechanisms.
Yan
Naihong
N
Department of Medical Genetics, West China Hospital, Division of Human Morbid Genomics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
Lu
Yilu
Y
Sun
Huaqin
H
Qiu
Weimin
W
Tao
Dachang
D
Liu
Yunqiang
Y
Chen
Huijiao
H
Yang
Yuan
Y
Zhang
Sizhong
S
Li
Xiang
X
Ma
Yongxin
Y
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
D035683:MicroRNAs