microRNA (miRNA)
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an important class of small RNA molecules found in plants and animals. Although the first miRNA was identified in a genetic screen in 1993 (1), it was not until 2001 that a large number of miRNAs were identified in invertebrates and vertebrates (3). These evolutionary conserved, non-coding RNA molecules regulate translation of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and therefore play a key role in regulation of gene expression for normal cellular function within animals and plants. miRNAs are small olignucleotides (single-stranded RNAs, 17-24 bases) that have shown to play critical roles in developmental timing, hematopoietic cell differentiation, cell death, cell proliferation, and oncogenesis (2). Importantly, miRNAs have cell/tissue specific expression profiles that change in disease and in response to external stimuli therefore representing change within the cell biology.
With over 1000 miRNAs being identified in human genome, it is estimated that they regulate 33-60% of all human protein coding genes (3). Since miRNA can regulate an entire network of genes, these new molecules are considered as master regulators of the genome. They represent a wide range of biological processes within humans including immune response, cell-cycle control, metabolism, viral replication, stem cell differentiation and human development. They have shown significant change in a range of diseases such as cancers, tumours, diabetes, immunological, metabolic and cardiovascular, neurological & psychiatric and viral infections. With use of synthetic miRNAs and inhibitors, great opportunities are now opened for a whole new class of miRNA-based therapies across nearly every field of medicine (2).
We at Sistemic have recognised the tremendous potential of miRNA, leveraging the instructive power of miRNA based fingerprinting to provide robust, information-rich and cost-effective products to benefit the Bioprocessing, Cell (and Stem Cell) Therapy, and Drug Discovery and Development markets. Sistemic makes full use of the fact that miRNA is stable and analytically robust and has developed products that fit seamlessly within companies’ current workflows. These products range from robust quality control (QC) for cells and stem cells, to toxicity and drug response based products for Pharmaceutical markets. Products such as SistemRNATM, SistemTOXTM, SistemKBTM and SistemQCTM are helping companies worldwide to deliver drugs and therapies successfully and in a cost-effective manner, whilst providing knowledge-rich and instructive data on a range of cell systems.
Why measure micro RNAs?
- Accurately describe the phenotype
- Small oligonucleotide (single strand, 17-24 bases)
- Measured in all cell types and biofluids as well retrospective tissues
- Stable
- Measured in all cell types and biofluids as well retrospective tissues
- Analytically robust
- Manageable dataset
- Control cell pathways and cell systems
- Delivers reliable biomarkers
1. Lee R, Feinbaum R, and Ambros V (1993) The heterochronic gene lin-4 of C. Elegans encodes small RNAs with antisense complementarity to lin-14. Cell 75: 843-854.
2. Nagavarapu U, (2010) RNAi Drug Delivery: Technologies and Global Markets. BCC Research: pg 28.
3. Van Rooij E, (2011) The Art of MicroRNA Research. Circulation Research: 219-234.