title: MicroRNAs in B cell development and malignancy.
abstract: MicroRNAs are small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression and play critical roles in B cell development and malignancy. miRNA expression is important globally, as B cell specific knockouts of Dicer show profound defects in B cell development; and is also critical at the level of specific miRNAs. In this review, we discuss miRNAs that are involved in normal B cell development in the bone marrow and during B cell activation and terminal differentiation in the periphery. Next, we turn to miRNAs that are dysregulated during diseases of B cells, including malignant diseases and autoimmunity. Further study of miRNAs and their targets will lead to a better understanding of B cell development, and should also lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies against B cell diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Thilini R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Fernando
authors.forename: Norma I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Malave
authors.forename: Dinesh S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs