Abstract
MicroRNAs or miRNAs are a form of small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) of 19–22 nucleotides in length in their mature form. miRNAs are transcribed in the nucleus of all cells from large precursors, many of which have several kilobases in length. Originally identified as intracellular modulators of protein synthesis via posttranscriptional gene silencing, more recently it has been found that miRNAs can travel in extracellular human fluids inside specialized vesicles known as exosomes. We will be referring to this miRNAs as circulating microRNAs. More interestingly, the miRNA content inside exosomes changes during pathological events. In the present review we analyze the literature about circulating miRNAs and their possible use as biomarkers. Furthermore, we explore their future in point-of-care (POC) diagnostics and provide an example of a portable POC apparatus useful in the detection of circulating miRNAs.
Highlights
By binding to a target messenger RNAs (mRNA) at its 3' UTR, miRNAs mediate post-transcriptional gene silencing in cells via the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway [2]
The microarray method we have developed takes advantage of total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) illumination, which reduces greatly the background signal generated by human fluids such as blood and urine
We have explored different isothermal techniques including loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) [48] and decided that strand-displacement polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification using Bst DNA polymerase is a simpler efficient method [49]
Summary
MiRNAs are transcribed in the nucleus of all cells from large precursors, many of which have several kilobases in length. They were first identified in 1993 by the Ambros group while studying C. elegans development [1]. By binding to a target mRNA at its 3' UTR (untranslated region), miRNAs mediate post-transcriptional gene silencing in cells via the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway [2]. It is a well established mechanism of post-transcriptional gene regulation, differing from classic epigenetic mechanisms of gene silencing [3]. In the present manuscript the author will revise the current literature positioning miRNAs as biomarkers, discuss about the advantages and disadvantages of using this small non-coding RNAs as auxiliary tools in the diagnosis and prognosis of disease
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