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Choreographing the microRNA-target dance

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have uncovered a new phosphorylation mechanism involved in controlling microRNA-target interactions, allowing microRNAs to efficiently regulate large sets of target messenger RNAs. This discovery sheds new light on the microRNA pathway and its role in human disease regulation.

MicroRNAs shown to improve hyperglycemia

Researchers at Tohoku University identified two new types of microRNA that improved hyperglycemia in a mouse model of diabetes. These miRNAs were shown to promote insulin-producing cell proliferation and regeneration, offering potential for therapeutic beta-cell regenerative therapies.

SourceTohoku University·JournalEBioMedicine·DateJan 20, 2017

Short RNA molecules mapped in single cell

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have measured the absolute numbers of short, non-coding, RNA sequences in individual embryonic stem cells, revealing their precise function. The new method could lead to improved IVF treatments by identifying embryos with the best chance of development.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateNov 1, 2016

EBV-derived microRNAs silence immune alarm signals of the host cell

Scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum München discovered a mechanism by which EBV virus suppresses alarm signals sent out by infected cells. MicroRNAs made by the virus block production of proteins that would ring the alarm, rendering killer T cells and helper T cells inactive.

A microRNA signature for infantile hemangioma

A set of microRNAs, known as C19MC, was found to be specific to infantile hemangiomas and detectable in patient plasma. These microRNAs may serve as biomarkers for IH diagnosis and treatment monitoring, with levels decreasing before tumor regression but rebounding upon re-growth.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJCI Insight·DateSep 8, 2016

Your blood can reveal your risk for heart disease

Researchers found that measuring specific microRNAs in blood can improve risk prediction for myocardial infarction by 15-20% compared to traditional risk factors alone. The study, published in Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, identified five key microRNAs that can help identify individuals at high risk for heart disease.

SourceNorwegian University of Science and Technology·JournalJournal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology·DateJun 29, 2016

MicroRNAs help to predict disease progression in brain tumors

Researchers at Helmholtz Munich have developed a new method to predict disease progression in glioblastoma patients. By analyzing four specific miRNAs, they can identify patients who are at high risk of poor treatment outcomes and may benefit from alternative or intensified treatments.

Brain power

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have pinpointed a specific long non-coding RNA that regulates neural development and drives human brain expansion. The lncRNA, called lncND, binds to microRNAs and regulates the expression of Notch proteins, which are critical for cell differentiation and development.

Powerful genetic regulator identified as risk factor for schizophrenia

A powerful genetic regulator, miR-9, has been identified as a risk factor for schizophrenia, controlling the activity of hundreds of genes involved in fetal brain development. The study, led by Kristen Brennand and Gang Fang, found that miR-9 was under-expressed in brains of schizophrenic patients, leading to miswiring of neurons.

Seeing DROSHA for the first time

Scientists at IBS Center for RNA Research have elucidated the three-dimensional image of DROSHA, one part of the Microprocessor complex. This discovery confirms previous findings and reveals unique physical characteristics of DROSHA, including a 'bump' that may act as a measuring guide for cleaving pri-miRNA.