MicroRNA (miRNA) is a type of endogenous small RNA with a length of about 20-24 nucleotides, which has a variety of important regulatory effects in cells. Each miRNA can have multiple target genes, and several miRNAs can also regulate the same gene. This complex regulatory network can not only regulate the expression of multiple genes through one miRNA, but also fine-tune the expression of a certain gene through the combination of several miRNAs.
Recently, a new discovery of an RNA molecule (microRNA) involved in the prevention of tumor formation may open the door to new strategies for the treatment of different types of cancer.
The exact mechanism of this regulation is still unclear, however, it is well known that microRNA can silence mRNA molecules, thereby preventing protein production. This means that they may be used as tools or targets for drugs.
The microRNA binds to proteins of the Argonaute family (AGO) to form a small microRNA-AGO complex whose function is to inhibit protein production. The microRNA component provides specificity and determines the region of mRNA that the complex binds to. Argonaute protein directly inhibits protein production by cutting mRNA or blocking protein synthesis sites. Therefore, if the microRNA-AGO complex binds to mRNA, the corresponding protein will not be produced, thereby effectively silencing gene expression.
Katja Petzold, an associate professor in the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics at the Karolinska Institute, said: "It is important to increase our understanding of how microRNA regulates protein production, because this process is disrupted in many different types of diseases, including Cancer." Katja led the research in Sweden. (Reference for details of results publication: Base-pair conformational switch modulates miR-34a targeting of Sirt1 mRNA. Nature. 2020)
It is the first proof that the structure of the microRNA-mRNA complex changes, and this movement has an impact on the biological outcome (that is, the amount of protein produced in the cell). The research includes the study of a microRNA called miR-34a. It plays an important role in cancer by indirectly regulating the activity of p53 protein. miR-34a down-regulates the mRNA encoding SIRT1. This is a protein that inactivates p53. Changes in p53 function are common in human cancers, and this protein is extremely important for its ability to prevent cancer formation. It reveals a preliminary understanding of how small microRNAs based on structure and kinetics control protein export regulation, opening the door to the development of drugs with new mechanisms of action.
The SIRT1 protein, TP53 protein and p53 protein related to Abbexa tumor research are only used for scientific research and not for clinical diagnosis.
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