Differential Expression of Hippocampal Circular RNAs in the BTBR Mouse Model for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition with unknown etiology. Recent experimental evidences suggest the contribution of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in the pathophysiology of ASD. In this work, we aimed to investigate the expression profile of the ncRNA class of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in the hippocampus of the BTBR T + tf/J (BTBR) mouse model and age-matched C57BL/6J (B6) mice.

JARID1B expression and its function in DNA damage repair are tightly regulated by miRNAs in breast cancer.

JARID1B/KDM5B histone demethylase's mRNA is markedly overexpressed in breast cancer tissues and cell lines and the protein has been shown to have a prominent role in cancer cell proliferation and DNA repair. However, the mechanism of its post-transcriptional regulation in cancer cells remains elusive. We performed a computational analysis of transcriptomic data from a set of 103 breast cancer patients, which, along with JARID1B upregulation, showed a strong downregulation of 2 microRNAs (miRNAs), mir-381 and mir-486, potentially targeting its mRNA.

Antitumor Effects of Epidrug/IFNα Combination Driven by Modulated Gene Signatures in Both Colorectal Cancer and Dendritic Cells.

Colorectal cancer results from the progressive accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations. IFN signaling defects play an important role in the carcinogenesis process, in which the inability of IFN transcription regulatory factors (IRF) to access regulatory sequences in IFN-stimulated genes (ISG) in tumors and in immune cells may be pivotal. We reported that low-dose combination of two FDA-approved epidrugs, azacytidine (A) and romidepsin (R), with IFNα2 (ARI) hampers the aggressiveness of both colorectal cancer metastatic and stem cells and triggers immunogenic cell death signals that stimulate dendritic cell (DC) function.

Leptin induction following irradiation is a conserved feature in mammalian epithelial cells and tissues.

Purpose: Leptin (LEP) is a peptide hormone with multiple physiological functions. Besides its systemic actions, it has important peripheral roles such as a mitogen action on keratinocytes following skin lesions. We previously showed that LEP mRNA is significantly induced in response to neutron irradiation in mouse skin and that the protein increases in the irradiated epidermis and in the related subcutaneous adipose tissue.

RNA-binding protein HuR and the members of the miR-200 family play an unconventional role in the regulation of c-Jun mRNA.

Post-transcriptional gene regulation is a fundamental step for coordinating cellular response in a variety of processes. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are the most important factors responsible for this regulation. Here we report that different components of the miR-200 family are involved in c-Jun mRNA regulation with the opposite effect.

Modulation of microRNA editing, expression and processing by ADAR2 deaminase in glioblastoma.

Background: ADAR enzymes convert adenosines to inosines within double-stranded RNAs, including microRNA (miRNA) precursors, with important consequences on miRNA retargeting and expression. ADAR2 activity is impaired in glioblastoma and its rescue has anti-tumoral effects. However, how ADAR2 activity may impact the miRNome and the progression of glioblastoma is not known.

Cyclin D1 is a major target of miR-206 in cell differentiation and transformation.

miR-206, a member of the so-called myomiR family, is largely acknowledged as a specific, positive regulator of skeletal muscle differentiation. A growing body of evidence also suggests a tumor suppressor function for miR-206, as it is frequently downregulated in various types of cancers. In this study, we show that miR-206 directly targets cyclin D1 and contributes to the regulation of CCND1 gene expression in both myogenic and non-muscle, transformed cells.

Acute stress alters amygdala microRNA miR-135a and miR-124 expression: inferences for corticosteroid dependent stress response.

The amygdala is a brain structure considered a key node for the regulation of neuroendocrine stress response. Stress-induced response in amygdala is accomplished through neurotransmitter activation and an alteration of gene expression. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression in the nervous system and are very well suited effectors of stress response for their ability to reversibly silence specific mRNAs.

IFN-α regulates Blimp-1 expression via miR-23a and miR-125b in both monocytes-derived DC and pDC.

Type I interferon (IFN-I) have emerged as crucial mediators of cellular signals controlling DC differentiation and function. Human DC differentiated from monocytes in the presence of IFN-α (IFN-α DC) show a partially mature phenotype and a special capability of stimulating CD4+ T cell and cross-priming CD8+ T cells. Likewise, plasmacytoid DC (pDC) are blood DC highly specialized in the production of IFN-α in response to viruses and other danger signals, whose functional features may be shaped by IFN-I.

HUVEC respond to radiation by inducing the expression of pro-angiogenic microRNAs.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a class of small non-coding RNAs that control gene expression by targeting mRNAs and triggering either repression of translation or RNA degradation. They have been shown to be involved in a variety of biological processes such as development, differentiation and cell cycle control, but little is known about their involvement in the response to irradiation. We showed here that in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) some miRNAs previously shown to have a crucial role in vascular biology are transiently modulated in response to a clinically relevant dose of ionizing radiation.

Smad-interacting protein-1 and microRNA 200 family define a nitric oxide-dependent molecular circuitry involved in embryonic stem cell mesendoderm differentiation.

Objective: Smad-interacting protein-1 (Sip1/ZEB2) is a transcriptional repressor of the telomerase reverse transcriptase catalytic subunit (Tert) and has recently been identified as a key regulator of embryonic cell fate with a phenotypic effect similar, in our opinion, to that reported for nitric oxide (NO). Remarkably, SIP1/ZEB2 is a known target of the microRNA 200 (miR-200) family. In this light, we postulated that Sip1/ZEB2 and the miR-200 family could play a role during the NO-dependent differentiation of mES.

Stress induces region specific alterations in microRNAs expression in mice.

Several studies have demonstrated that exposure to both acute and chronic aversive stimuli can affect neural activity in different brain areas. In particular it has been shown that stressful events can induce not only short-term changes in neural transmission and gene regulation, but also long-term changes that can lead to structural modification. In this study we investigated, in CD1 mice, the effects of single or repeated exposures to restraint stress (2h for 1 or 5 consecutive days) in the frontal cortex on a crucial class of gene expression regulators, the microRNAs (miRs).

Epstein-Barr virus infection leads to partial phenotypic reversion of terminally differentiated malignant B cells.

The B cell lymphomas associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) are not limited to any specific stage of B cell differentiation but covers widely different B cell phenotypes. In vitro infection of the virus negative tumors with a recombinant EBV strain has provided important insights into virus-tumor interaction. Here, we investigated the interaction between EBV and terminally differentiated tumor derived B cells, namely multiple myeloma (MM).

Role of Hog1 and Yaf9 in the transcriptional response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to cesium chloride.

We analyzed the global transcriptional response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells exposed to different concentrations of CsCl in the growth medium and at different times after addition. Early responsive genes were mainly involved in cell wall structure and biosynthesis. About half of the induced genes were previously shown to respond to other alkali metal cations in a Hog1-dependent fashion.

The position of yeast snoRNA-coding regions within host introns is essential for their biosynthesis and for efficient splicing of the host pre-mRNA.

Genomic location of sequences encoding small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) is peculiar in all eukaryotes from yeast to mammals: most of them are encoded within the introns of host genes. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, seven snoRNAs show this location. In this work we demonstrate that the position of snoRNA-coding regions with respect to splicing consensus sequences is critical: yeast strains expressing mutant constructs containing shorter or longer spacers (the regions between snoRNA ends and intron splice sites) show a drop in accumulation of U24 and U18 snoRNAs.

Non coding RNA and brain.

Small non coding RNAs are a group of very different RNA molecules, present in virtually all cells, with a wide spectrum of regulatory functions which include RNA modification and regulation of protein synthesis. They have been isolated and characterized in all organisms and tissues, from Archaeobacteria to mammals. In mammalian brain there are a number of these small molecules, which are involved in neuronal differentiation as well as, possibly, in learning and memory.

Purified box C/D snoRNPs are able to reproduce site-specific 2'-O-methylation of target RNA in vitro.

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are associated in ribonucleoprotein particles localized to the nucleolus (snoRNPs). Most of the members of the box C/D family function in directing site-specific 2'-O-methylation of substrate RNAs. Although the selection of the target nucleotide requires the antisense element and the conserved box D or D' of the snoRNA, the methyltransferase activity is supposed to reside in one of the protein components.

Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli virulence-plasmid-carried apyrase (apy) and ospB genes are organized as a bicistronic operon and are subject to differential expression.

In Shigella flexneri and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) the expression of the virulence-plasmid(pINV)-carried potential pathogenesis-associated apy gene, which encodes apyrase (ATP diphosphohydrolase), is regulated by the same regulators that govern the expression of virulence genes. To understand the transcriptional organization of the apy gene, the authors sequenced an 8023 bp PstI fragment of the pINV of EIEC strain HN280, which encompasses apy as well as its adjacent genes. The PstI fragment displays 99% identity with the corresponding fragment of pWR100, the pINV of S.