title: A novel and universal method for microRNA RT-qPCR data normalization.
abstract: Gene expression analysis of microRNA molecules is becoming increasingly important. In this study we assess the use of the mean expression value of all expressed microRNAs in a given sample as a normalization factor for microRNA real-time quantitative PCR data and compare its performance to the currently adopted approach. We demonstrate that the mean expression value outperforms the current normalization strategy in terms of better reduction of technical variation and more accurate appreciation of biological changes.
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent, Belgium. pieter.mestdagh@ugent.be
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mestdagh
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Vlierberghe
authors.forename: An
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Weer
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Muth
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Westermann
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Speleman
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vandesompele
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D000071447:N-Myc Proto-Oncogene Protein; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000235:genetics; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: C459801:MYCN protein, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D000071447:N-Myc Proto-Oncogene Protein; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D015513:Oncogene Proteins