Pregnancy Workouts Alter Brain Chemistry to Fight Offspring Obesity
A study reveals that maternal obesity in mice increases microRNA levels in the hypothalamus in offspring, leading to overeating. Maternal obesity impacts the eating behaviors…
MicroRNA News
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules typically about 20-22 nucleotides in length that play a crucial role in the regulation of gene expression. They function by binding to complementary sequences on messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules, leading to mRNA degradation or the inhibition of its translation into proteins. This post-transcriptional regulation allows miRNAs to control a wide range of biological processes, including development, differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. Since their discovery in the early 2000s, miRNAs have been found to be involved in numerous physiological and pathological conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders. The study of miRNAs is a rapidly growing field in molecular biology, with significant implications for understanding disease mechanisms and developing new therapeutic strategies.
Palindromic Puzzles Solved: The Hidden Mechanism of Gene Creation
Researchers at the University of Helsinki have uncovered a mechanism that instantaneously generates DNA palindromes, potentially leading to the creation of new microRNA genes from…
Baldness Breakthrough: microRNA Stimulates Hair Growth in Aging Follicles
Softening stiff hair follicle stem cells with a microRNA regrows hair. Regulating cell mechanics stimulates hair growth in mice Next step will be testing if…
New Research Could Link Evolution of Complex Life to Genetic “Dark Matter”
New research suggests that microRNAs play a crucial role in the advanced development of the brain, including in humans. Octopuses have fascinated scientists and the…
Highly Intelligent: What Octopus and Human Brains Have in Common
Cephalopods like octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish are highly intelligent animals with complex nervous systems. A team of researchers has now shown that their evolution is…
How Herpes Viruses Trigger Their Own Awakening
Eight different herpes viruses are known to date in humans. They all settle down permanently in the body after acute infection. Under certain circumstances, they…
Researchers Find microRNA Warning Signs for Dementia in the Blood
Levels of certain microRNAs indicate risk for cognitive decline. Researchers at the DZNE and the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) have identified molecules in the…
Simple microRNA Urine Test May Help Early Detection of Brain Tumors
A recent study by Nagoya University researchers revealed that microRNAs in urine could be a promising biomarker to diagnose brain tumors. Their findings, published in…
Injectable Gel Helps Heart Regenerate After Heart Attack
Researchers demonstrate an injectable gel that slowly releases short gene sequences known as microRNAs into the heart muscle, allowing it to regenerate after injury. In…
Scientists Develop a New Way to Deliver MicroRNAs for Cancer Treatment
By twisting RNA strands into a triple helix and embedding them in a biocompatible gel, researchers from MIT have developed a new way to shrink…
Yale Researchers Identify RNA That Controls Cholesterol
A new study from Yale University reveals that miR-148a modifies LDL receptors in liver cells of both mice and humans and suppresses a gene that…
New Pathway for Passing Genetic Messages between Cells
New research from Yale University reveals a new pathway for passing genetic messages between cells. A Yale-led research team has described a novel pathway for…
Key Process in Brain Development Identified
By studying miR-107 in zebrafish, Yale researchers have discovered that miR-107 plays a key role in early brain development, and perhaps in the development of…
New Treatments for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
A newly published study from Yale University scientists could lead to the development of new therapies aimed at restoring the signaling balance in the pulmonary…
Genetic Trickery Coaxes Heart to Heal Itself
Two new studies suggest that heart muscle cells can make copies of themselves at a very low rate, but researchers have developed a genetic trick…
Inhibition of MicroRNAs in Mice Can Attenuate Cardiovascular Stress
Cardiac stress that’s caused by a heart attack or high blood pressure will frequently lead to pathological heart growth and eventually lead to heart failure….
Nanoparticles Stop Lymphoma in Mice
Using nanoparticles that deliver a compound that specifically targets miR-155, biologists at Yale University were able to stop lymphoma in mice when injected directly into…
Using Biosignatures to Distinguish Between Tuberculosis and Sarcoidosis
New research shows that tuberculosis and sarcoidosis are not only similar clinically, but their biosignatures also have a number of elements in common and scientists…