title: Preliminary investigation of methylation status of microRNA-124a in spinal cords of rat fetuses with congenital spina bifida.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the expression of microRNA-124a and its methylation status in the spinal cords of rats with congenital spina bifida versus rats with normal fetuses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to compare the expression of microRNA-124a in the spinal cords of 42 rats with all-trans retinoic acid induced congenital spina bifida and 42 rats with normal fetuses. The DNA methylation status in the promoter region of miRNA-124a was detected using methylation specific-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with rats with normal fetuses, expression of microRNA-124a was significantly decreased in rats with congenital spina bifida fetuses. The percentages of spinal cords with DNA hypermethylation in the microRNA-124a promoter were 81% and 14% in the congenital spina bifida and normal control groups, respectively. The difference was statistically significant. Further apoptosis testing revealed increased apoptosis cell numbers in the congenital spina bifida samples. Meanwhile, the phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase protein expression level dramatically decreased in the congenital spina bifida samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aberrant DNA methylation was responsible for down-regulation of microRNA-124a by regulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, suggesting that microRNA-124a is a potential diagnostic biomarker in congenital spina bifida.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatric Surgery , The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou , China and.
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: b Department of Dermatology , Zhengzhou Children's Hospital , Zhengzhou , China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatric Surgery , The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou , China and.
authors.forename: Da
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatric Surgery , The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou , China and.
authors.forename: Qiu-Liang
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatric Surgery , The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou , China and.
authors.forename: Xin-Rang
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatric Surgery , The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou , China and.
authors.forename: He-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatric Surgery , The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou , China and.
authors.forename: Yingzhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatric Surgery , The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou , China and.
authors.forename: Jia-Xiang
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008745:Methylation; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C548144:MIRN124 microRNA, rat; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Apoptosis; DNA methylation; MAPK; congenital spina bifida; microRNA