鸡miR-21的组织表达谱及其功能预测分析

已知miR-21在多种生物学过程中发挥重要的调控作用,然而有关鸡miR-21功能的研究尚未见报道。为了解鸡miR 21的潜在生物学功能,采用qRT-PCR检测了固始鸡5个发育阶段、15种组织中miR-21的表达情况。同时,利用Pictar和TargetScan算法预测了miR-21的靶基因并对预测的靶基因进行了Gene Ontology分析和通路分析。结果显示,miR-21的表达具有明显的时序特征,除14胚龄鸡的小脑和腺胃外,胚胎期各组织中miR-21的表达水平均显著低于出壳后对应组织的表达水平;出壳后鸡的下丘脑、大脑、小脑、小肠、肝脏、胸肌和肾脏等组织中miR-21的表达水平随发育进程均显著上调。生物信息学分析显示,预测的miR-21的靶基因在基因表达调控、大分子代谢调控、转录调控、细胞代谢调控、细胞衰老和增殖、呼吸系统发育、骨骼发育、心脏发育和神经系统发育等广泛的生物学过程中显著富集。总之,鸡miR-21为广泛性时序表达miRNA,可能参与鸡出壳后诸多器官发育相关的生物学过程的调控。     

miR-148a在5-aza诱导间充质干细胞心肌样分化中的调控作用及机制

目的：探讨miR-148a在5-aza诱导人骨髓间充质（hMSCs）成心肌样分化中的表达及miR-148a对hMSCs体外成心肌样分化的生物学作用。方法：免疫荧光检测5-aza诱导hMSCs分化后心肌细胞特异性标志物α-MHC表达水平;qRT-PCR和Western blot分别检测miR-148a和DNMT1在hMSCs成肌样分化中的表达水平。利用Lipofectamine TM 2000将miR-148a mimics和miR-148a inhibitor分别瞬时转染hMSCs,Western blot检测心肌细胞特异性标志物α-MHC的蛋白表达水平。利用生物信息学技术预测miR-148a的靶基因结合位点利用双荧光素酶报告基因系统鉴定其对靶基因3'UTR的结合序列。通过DNMT1 shRNA和miR-148a inhibitors共转到hMSCs中,研究miR-148a在hMSCs成心肌样分化中的调控作用。结果：hMSCs经5-aza诱导分化后,心肌细胞特性标志物α-MHC蛋白水平明显上调。miR-148a在hBMSCs成肌样分化中显著性增加（P<0.01）,DNMT1表达水平显著降低。过表达miR-148a能提高hBMSC中心肌细胞特异性标志物α-MHC表达水平,而抑制miR-148a则能降低其水平（P<0.01）。DNMT1沉默可以阻断miR-148a对hMSCs的诱导成肌样分化作用。结论：miR-148a在hMCCs成肌样分化中表达上调,通过靶定和调控DNMT1基因的表达,并对hMSCs心肌向分化具有正向调控作用。     

鸡miR-9不同组织表达差异及其功能预测分析

miRNA在动物生长发育过程中有重要作用. 本文采用定制茎环反转录引物,利用实时荧光定量PCR技术构建miR-9在鸡2个阶段11个组织中的表达谱,同时用TargetScan5.1与PicTar两种计算方法对其进行靶基因预测,交集的基因集合分别进行GO（gene ontology）富集分析和生物通路富集分析. 结果表明,采用实时定量PCR检测的miR-9在鸡下丘脑中的表达量和高通量测序结果一致;采用实时定量PCR在对不同组织定量结果表明,miR-9在0日龄鸡的肾脏、下丘脑、腿肌和大脑中高丰度表达,在成年鸡表达量较高为大脑、腿肌、心脏、小脑和下丘脑.在同一组织的0日龄和成年鸡中表达呈现时序性,除肝脏的表达量差异不显著,其他10个组织miR-9表达量差异显著（P<0.05）.预测到交集靶基因有160个.涉及到多个KEGG通路和GO富集中.GO分类结果显示,这些基因分布于63个群中,其中基因超过45个基因群集有26个群,与代谢有关的群有11个. 其它与发育、调控等过程有关. 在KEGG通路分析中,显著的通路有细胞骨架调控、细胞增殖和分化有关的通路（P<0.01）等5个通路. 表明miR 9基因的表达有组织和时序特异性,靶基因参与细胞代谢、生长发育和调控.这些结果为进一步验证miR 9基因在在脑中调控生长发育过程中的作用奠定了基础.     

miR-30a与其靶基因在肝癌中的作用研究进展

miRNA-30a(miR-30a)在肝癌组织中表达水平显著下调,可能是肝癌发展过程中的肿瘤抑制因子。miR-30a通过调控靶基因的表达参与肝癌细胞的增殖、凋亡、侵袭、转移以及自噬反应等一系列生理病理过程,从而发挥抑癌作用。本文就近年来miR-30a在肝癌中的靶基因及其调控分子机制做一综述。     

胃癌相关mir-148a靶向调控胃泌素受体CCKBR

目的：研究胃癌相关miR-148a与胃泌素受体CCKBR的调控关系,并分析其调控结合位点。方法生物信息学预测人CCKBR 3’ UTR上miR-148a 的结合位点;利用 PCR扩增 miR-148a 前体构建真核表达载体;Northern Blot检测miR-148a真核表达载体的表达;构建CCKBR 3’UTR野生型和突变型荧光素酶报告载体,并利用双荧光素酶活性分析检测分析miR-148a对CCKBR基因表达的调控和结合位点;Western Blot检测miR-148a过表达对CCKBR蛋白表达的作用。结果在人CCKBR 3’UTR上找到3个miR-148a的潜在结合位点;miR-148a真核表达载体构建成功,转染胃癌细胞后可显著过表达;miR-148a通过人CCKBR 3’UTR上423bp处的结合位点抑制CCKBR的基因表达;miR-148a过表达显著抑制胃癌细胞中CCKBR的蛋白表达。结论 CCKBR是胃癌相关miR-148a的靶基因,miR-148a通过其3’UTR上的结合位点抑制CCKBR的基因表达和蛋白合成,提示miR-148a可能通过调控CCKBR参与胃癌的发生发展。     

miR-17-92基因簇microRNAs对哺乳动物器官发育及肿瘤发生的调控

microRNAs(miRNAs)是近年发现的一种高度保守的非编码小RNA, 它们通过抑制靶基因mRNA的翻译或将其降解, 在转录后水平调控基因的表达, 参与调控哺乳动物多个器官的发育过程和人类疾病的发生。miR-17-92基因簇是一个高度保守的基因簇, 编码miR-17-5p、miR-17-3p、miR-18a、miR-19a、miR-20a、miR-19b-1和miR-92-1等7个miRNAs。大量证据表明, miR-17-92基因簇miRNAs参与了心、肺、免疫系统的发育、血管生长及前脂肪细胞的分化等过程。此外, miR-17-92基因簇miRNAs在多种肿瘤中高表达, 能作为致癌基因诱发淋巴瘤和血管化肿瘤的发生, 但它也可以作为抑癌基因抑制乳腺癌细胞的增殖。文章对miR-17-92基因簇miRNAs在哺乳动物器官发育及肿瘤发生中的作用进行综述     

miR-449a在乳腺癌组织中的表达及生物信息学分析

探讨miR-449a在乳腺癌组织中的表达及其在乳腺癌发生发展过程中的作用。利用实时荧光定量PCR检测83例乳腺癌和癌旁组织中miR-449a的相对表达量,发现miR-449a在乳腺癌组织中的表达水平高于癌旁组织,并与肿瘤组织学级别、大小、雌激素受体状态和孕激素受体状态有关(P＜0.05)。miR-449a在三阴性乳腺癌中的表达水平显著低于管腔型。使用Kaplan-Meier Plotter数据库进行生存分析,结果显示在三阴性乳腺癌中miR-449a低表达组总生存率显著低于高表达组,而在管腔B型乳腺癌中miR-449a高表达组总生存率显著降低(P＜0.05)。利用ENCORI数据库预测得到靶基因186个,通过metascape数据库进行富集分析,发现其功能涉及间充质细胞分化、细胞迁移、内分泌抵抗、粘附连接、肌动蛋白细胞骨架调节以及NOTCH、TGF-β、Wnt、PI3K-Akt等介导的信号通路。通过string数据库进行蛋白互作网络分析,并使用Cytoscape软件筛选出由NOTCH1、JAG1和cyclin D1等蛋白构成的关键子网络。应用ENCORI数据库分析miR-449a与NOTCH途径靶基因的相关性,发现miR-449a与NOTCH1在乳腺癌组织中的表达呈负相关。本研究结果表明miR-449a在乳腺癌组织中的表达具有明显的异质性,可通过影响多种信号通路参与肿瘤发展过程,调控NOTCH信号通路可能是其在乳腺癌中的重要机制。     

miR-150在造血发育中的功能研究

miR-150是一个在哺乳动物中表达的含22个核苷酸的miRNA,能通过抑制靶基因的翻译来调控细胞增殖、分化和凋亡等重要的生理、病理过程。miR-150的表达水平在造血发育不同谱系和不同阶段都存在明显差异,而造血发育异常也同样伴随着miR-150的表达异常,提示miR-150能够调控机体造血发育过程,参与了造血发育异常的发生。在机体造血系统中,miR-150主要通过调控其靶基因的表达来影响造血发育过程以及各谱系细胞的成熟、活化与功能效应。目前已报道的miR-150靶分子主要有c-Myb、Notch3、GAB1、FOXP1、Cxcr4、Prf1等。现就近年来miR-150在造血发育过程中的研究作一综述。     

牦牛miR-378前体克隆及组织表达分析

旨在克隆牦牛miR-378的前体序列,阐明其组织表达规律,结合bta-miR-378靶基因的生物信息学预测和分析,探讨miR-378在牦牛生长发育过程中的调控功能。采用PCR方法成功克隆类乌齐牦牛miR-378前体序列,实时荧光定量PCR(RT-qPCR)检测miR-378-3p在各组织中的表达模式,结合生物信息学软件TargetScan、DAVID以及数据库NCBI、miRbase等对miR-378进行保守性分析、靶基因预测及其生物学功能分析。结果表明,miR-378在各物种间高度保守,且miR-378-3p在各组织中广泛表达,其中在臀大肌中表达水平最高,显著高于其他组织(P<0.01),在臀脂中的表达高于卵巢、大脑、乳腺和肝脏。获得的272个靶基因主要参与细胞分化、细胞发育、大分子代谢等多个生物学过程,涉及孕酮介导的卵母细胞成熟、促性腺激素释放激素(GnRH)信号通路等,由此推测,miR-378可能在卵泡发育、卵母细胞成熟过程中起关键作用,进而影响母牦牛的繁殖性能。     

MicroRNA-146a抑制胶质瘤细胞增殖的研究

目的:检测胶质瘤中miR-146a的表达水平,并研究miR-146a对胶质瘤细胞增殖的影响。方法:应用实时定量PCR的方法检测胶质瘤组织和癌旁组织中miR-146a的表达水平,采用脂质体细胞转染miRNA模拟物的方式过表达miR-146a,MTT法检测转染后细胞的增殖率,利用在线软件targetScan预测miRNA可能的靶基因。结果:miR-146a在胶质瘤组织中表达明显降低(P<0.01),相对表达水平为癌旁组织的35%,细胞转染miR-146a模拟物后,miR-146a表达明显增加,癌细胞增殖率明显降低(P<0.01),仅为原细胞的47%。Notch1基因是miR-146a影响胶质瘤细胞增殖活力的可能靶基因。结论:miR-146a可能通过抑制Notch1基因的表达调控胶质瘤细胞的增殖。     

家蚕miR-2769靶基因的鉴定及表达分析

【目的】MiRNAs在昆虫变态发育过程中发挥非常重要的作用。对家蚕Bombyx mori miRNAs及靶基因的研究将有助于阐明miRNAs参与调控家蚕变态发育的分子机制。【方法】往家蚕5龄第2天幼虫血淋巴注射蜕皮激素20E后,qRT-PCR检测miR-2769在家蚕脂肪体中的表达;通过生物信息学方法预测家蚕miR-2769的靶基因;利用双荧光酶报告载体系统分析miR-2769与预测靶基因BmE75B的互作;qRT-PCR检测miR-2769及其靶基因BmE75不同剪接体在家蚕不同发育时期(幼虫、蛹和成虫)和幼虫不同组织(头、表皮、丝腺、脂肪体、精巢、卵巢、马氏管、中肠和血淋巴)中的表达量。【结果】研究结果表明,miR-2769可通过与家蚕BmE75B的3′UTR区结合位点的互作,显著抑制荧光素酶报告基因的表达。qRT-PCR结果表明,miR-2769和BmE75A/BmE75B在20E诱导家蚕脂肪体中表达趋势相反。时空表达分析结果表明,miR-2769与BmE75的不同剪接体在家蚕不同发育时期和不同组织中均具有特异性表达特征。在家蚕变态发育的不同阶段,miR-2769和BmE75A的表达量均较低,而BmE75B在蛹期表达量较高,BmE75C在5龄末幼虫和蛹早期有极高表达水平。此外,miR-2769与BmE75不同剪接体均存在一定程度的表达负相关。在家蚕5龄幼虫血淋巴中miR-2769可促进BmE75A的表达,在脂肪体中miR-2769可促进BmE75B的表达,而在其他组织中miR-2769抑制BmE75不同剪接体的表达。【结论】家蚕miR-2769可通过与BmE75B的3′UTR区的互作对BmE75不同剪接体的表达进行负调控。     

Developmental increase in the inotropic and cyclic AMP response to isoproterenol in embryonic and newly hatched chicks

The cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) levels of ventricles isolated from 15- to 20-day-old chick embryos and 0- to 3-day-old hatched chicks were compared to clarify the mechanism underlying the change in sensitivity to isoproterenol during perinatal developmental stages when the functional sympathetic innervation has been completely achieved. Isoproterenol produced a positive inotropic effect on ventricles isolated from both embryonic and hatched chicks, but the ventricles from the hatched chicks were more sensitive. At both developmental stages sotalol was an equipotent antagonist of isoproterenol. 3-Isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) produced an increment in the contractile force of the ventricles at both stages, but the ventricles from the hatched chicks responded to lower doses of IBMX. The reactivity to isoproterenol in increasing cyclic AMP level was significantly higher in the hatched ventricles than in the embryonic ventricles. The results suggest that the different sensitivities to isoproterenol between embryonic and newly hatched chick ventricles may be due to some changes in the process for cyclic AMP production.     

Microarray-based screening of the microRNAs associated with caryopsis development in Oryza sativa

Plant microRNAs modulate diverse developmental processes by regulating expression of their target genes. To explore potential miRNA-guided gene regulation in developing rice (Oryza sativa L.) caryopses, a miRNA microarray was used to identify miRNAs present at the different developmental stages. We found that 27 miRNAs, of which 16 were conserved miRNAs, were present in developing caryopses. High expression levels were detected for miR159, miR167, and miR530 at the morphogenesis stage and for miR169, miR435, and miR528 at the stage of accumulation of metabolites. Next, 26 target genes were predicted for seven of the detected miRNAs and the expression profiles of these miRNAs and their corresponding target genes were examined in developing caryopses. Our results suggest that the miRNAs and their target genes examined at the two distinct stages could contribute to the developmental progress of rice caryopses in concert with phytohormone signalling.     

Fatty acid synthesis in chick embryonic heart and liver during development.

Fatty acid synthesis by subcellular fractions of heart and liver of chick embryos at varying stages of development has been studied. Fatty acid synthetase activity is associated with the embryonic heart at early stages of development, as suggested by substrate requirement, Schmidt decarboxylation of synthesized fatty acids and gas liquid chromatographic identification of the products as palmitic and stearic acids. The fatty acid synthetase activity decreases in heart cytosol with age of the embryo and is absent in the newly hatched chick and in older chicken. The acetyl CoA carboxylase activity is negligible in embryonic and adult chicken heart. The fatty acid synthetase activity in liver is low, but measurable during the entire embryonic development. The activity increases by about three-fold on hatching and thereafter in fed, newly hatched chicks by about 35-fold, over the basal embryonic activity. The acetyl and malonyl transacylase activities in the heart and liver cytosols during development followed closely the fatty acid synthetase activities in heart and liver, respectively. A non-coordinate induction of fatty acid synthetase and acetyl CoA carboxylase activities in liver was observed during development. The microsomal chain elongation in liver and heart followed the pattern of fatty acid synthetase activity in liver and heart, respectively. The mitochondrial chain elongation in embryonic heart is initially low and increases with age; while this activity in liver is higher in early stages of embryonic development than in the older embryos and the chicks. Measurement of lipogenesis from acetate-1-¹⁴C by liver and heart slices from chick embryos and newly hatched chicks support the conclusions reached in the studies with the subcellular fractions. The results obtained indicate that the major system of fatty acid synthesis in embryonic and adult heart is the mitochondrial chain elongation. In embryonic liver, fatty acid synthesis proceeds by chain elongation, while the de novo system is the major contributor to the lipogenic capacity of the liver after hatching.     

Gene transfer to chicks using lentiviral vectors administered via the embryonic chorioallantoic membrane

The lack of affordable techniques for gene transfer in birds has inhibited the advancement of molecular studies in avian species. Here we demonstrate a new approach for introducing genes into chicken somatic tissues by administration of a lentiviral vector, derived from the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), into the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of chick embryos on embryonic day 11. The FIV-derived vectors carried yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) or recombinant alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) genes, driven by the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter. Transgene expression, detected in chicks 2 days after hatch by quantitative real-time PCR, was mostly observed in the liver and spleen. Lower expression levels were also detected in the brain, kidney, heart and breast muscle. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry analyses confirmed transgene expression in chick tissues at the protein level, demonstrating a transduction efficiency of ～0.46% of liver cells. Integration of the viral vector into the chicken genome was demonstrated using genomic repetitive (CR1)-PCR amplification. Viability and stability of the transduced cells was confirmed using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (dUTP) nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, immunostaining with anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen (anti-PCNA), and detection of transgene expression 51 days post transduction. Our approach led to only 9% drop in hatching efficiency compared to non-injected embryos, and all of the hatched chicks expressed the transgenes. We suggest that the transduction efficiency of FIV vectors combined with the accessibility of the CAM vasculature as a delivery route comprise a new powerful and practical approach for gene delivery into somatic tissues of chickens. Most relevant is the efficient transduction of the liver, which specializes in the production and secretion of proteins, thereby providing an optimal target for prolonged study of secreted hormones and peptides.