Orientador: Patricia Pintor dos Reis / Resumo: Introdução: Os carcinomas hepato-pancreato-biliares (HPB) são carcinomas agressivos, com células progenitoras comuns, sugerindo que mecanismos moleculares de tumorigênese podem ser compartilhados entre estes tumores. Os microRNAs (miRNAs) são importantes reguladores da expressão gênica e têm sido investigados como potenciais biomarcadores diagnósticos, prognósticos e de resposta a tratamento de pacientes com câncer. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar o perfil de expressão de miRNAs no plasma de pacientes com carcinomas HPB e potenciais processos biológicos envolvidos na tumorigênese destes carcinomas.Pacientes e Métodos: Foram analisadas 12 amostras de plasma, sendo 4 obtidas de pacientes com carcinoma hepatocelular, 4 com adenocarcinoma de pâncreas e 4 com colangiocarcinoma e 10 amostras de plasma de indivíduos saudáveis (grupo de referência). A expressão de miRNAs plasmáticos foi determinada por meio do ensaio TaqMan® Array Human MicroRNA Cards (card A, v3.0). Análises de predição de mRNAs-alvo potencialmente regulados pelos miRNAs identificados e redes de interação miRNAs-mRNAs-alvo foram geradas.Resultados: Dos 42 miRNAs com expressão desregulada no plasma de pacientes com carcinomas HPB comparados ao grupo de indivíduos saudáveis, 28 miRNAs (67%) são compartilhados entre os três subtipos tumorais, sendo: 19 com expressão diminuída e 9 com expressão aumentada. Os mRNAs-alvo preditos dos miRNAs com expressão alterada nos carcinomas HPB estão associados com importa... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Mestre

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No. of bitstreams: 1 monteiro_fs_dr_sjrp.pdf: 4717252 bytes, checksum: ba2c67ffbe5c027002b90049ebbbfe2c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-05-07 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Síndromes Mielodisplásicas (SMDs) é a denominação de um grupo de doenças neoplásicas clonais das células hematopoéticas, mais frequentemente observadas em idosos, caracterizadas por citopenias, displasia, hematopoese ineficaz e risco elevado para leucemia mielóide aguda (LMA). Citopenia(s) persistente(s), por mais de seis meses, e ausência de critérios diagnósticos para SMD, caracteriza a Citopenia Idiopática de Significado Indeterminado (ICUS). ICUS foi definida recentemente e é pouco conhecida quanto aos fatores etiológicos. Já as SMDs são consideradas protótipos de doenças epigenéticas, uma vez que distúrbios na metilação de alguns genes que regulam proliferação e diferenciação celular têm sido considerados fatores causais. O gene SOX17, por exemplo, é um supressor de tumor expresso em vários tecidos e alterações no seu padrão de metilação já foram observadas em tumores sólidos e neoplasias hematológicas, entretanto, foram pouco estudadas nas SMDs e não há descrições de estudos em ICUS. Do mesmo modo, alguns microRNAs vem sendo utilizados como marcadores moleculares para diagnóstico e prognóstico para diversas anormalidades hematológicas, mas seu papel na etiologia e desenvolvimento das SMDs também é pouco conhecido. Neste contexto, este estudo propos investigar o padrão de metilação do gene SOX17 por MSP-PCR em células da medula óssea (MO) de pacientes com SMD e ICUS ao diagnóstico, e analisar alterações no padrão de expressão de microRNAs por RT-PCR em células da MO de adultos e de crianças com SMD. Em adultos foram investigados os microRNAs miR126, miR29a, miR20a, miR181a, miR19b, miR21, miR155, miR146, miR22, miR193, miR26a e miR29b, e em crianças, os microRNAs miR193, miR29b miR22 e miR26a. O padrão de metilação do gene SOX17 foi analisado em 26 pacientes com SMD e em 15 pacientes com ICUS. A hipermetilação da região promotora do gene foi identificada em 57,7% dos indivíduos com SMD e em 53,3% daqueles com ICUS, sugerindo que o silenciamento do SOX17 pode ser um evento frequente e participar do curso inicial destas doenças. A análise dos microRNAs foi realizada em 55 pacientes adultos com SMD e em oito controles saudáveis. Dos 12 microRNAs testados, sete apresentaram padrão de expressão anormal em relação ao grupo controle, e dos quatro micros investigados em 28 pacientes com SMD infantil, os micros, miR193, miR29b apresentaram expressão diminuída em relação ao grupo controle em aproximadamente 70% dos pacientes analisados e a expressão do miR22 foi maior em mais da metade das amostras analisadas, enquanto uma expressão diminuída do miR26a foi observada em 28 (100%) dos pacientes analisados. Considerando-se que os microRNAs estudados podem atuar como reguladores da hematopoese, os dados revelam a importância dos microRNAS na etiologia das SMDs, sugerindo esses como possíveis biomarcadores diagnósticos para a SMD adulto e infantil. / Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) denominates a group of neoplastic diseases of the hematopoietic cells, most commonly observed in elderly patients, characterized by cytopenias, dysplasia, ineffective hematopoiesis and high risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Persistent cytopenia (s), for more than six months, and absence of diagnostic criteria for MDS, characterizes Idiopathic Cytopenia of Undetermined Significance (ICUS). ICUS has been recently defined, and little is known about its etiological factors. The MDSs are considered as prototypes of epigenetic diseases, due to the fact that methylation disorders of some genes that regulate cell proliferation and differentiation have been considered as causal factors. The SOX17 gene, for example, is a tumor suppressor expressed in several tissues and changes in its methylation pattern have already been observed in solid tumors and hematological malignancy, however, these changes have been little studied in MDS and there are no descriptions of studies in ICUS. Similarly, some microRNAs are being used as molecular markers for diagnosis and prognosis for various hematological abnormalities, but its role in the etiology and development of MDS is also poorly understood. In this context, this study aimed to investigate the methylation pattern of the SOX17 gene by MSP-PCR in bone marrow (BM) cells of patients diagnosed with MDS and ICUS, and to analyze changes in the expression pattern of microRNAs by RT-PCR in cells of BM for adults and children with MDS. In adults, the microRNAs miR29a, miR20a, miR181a, miR19b, miR21, miR155, miR146, miR22, miR193, miR26a and miR29b were tested, and in children, microRNAs miR193, miR29b miR22 and miR26a. The methylation pattern of the SOX17 gene was analyzed in 26 patients with MDS and in 15 patients with ICUS. The hypermethylation of the SOX17 promoter region was identified in 57.7% of the individuals with MDS and in 53.3% of those with ICUS, suggesting that the silencing of SOX17 can be a frequent event and participate in the initial course of these diseases. MicroRNAs were analyzed in 55 adult MDS patients and in 8 healthy controls. Among the 12 microRNAs tested in MDS adults, seven presented an abnormal expression pattern in relation to the control group, and of the four microRNAs investigated in 28 children with MDS, miR193 and miR29b presented decreased expression in relation to the control group in approximately 70% of the analyzed patients and miR22 expression was higher in more than half of the analyzed samples, whereas diminished expression of miR26a was observed in 28 (100%) of the patients analyzed. Considering that the studied microRNAs may act as regulators of hematopoese, the data reveal the importance of microRNAS in the etiology of MDS, suggesting these as possible diagnostic biomarkers and prognostic of adult and infant MDS. / 88881.132788/2016-01

Orientadores: Michel Georges Albert Vincentz, Fabio Tebaldi Silveira Nogueira / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-13T11:23:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Zanca_AlmirSamuel_M.pdf: 11034884 bytes, checksum: 0545b58df6802e07009aef761dda3003 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: RNAs não-codificantes de 20-27 nucleotídeos (nt) regulam transcricionalmente ou pós-transcricionalmente a expressão de genes endógenos, modelando o transcriptoma e a produção de proteínas. Dentre estes, microRNAs (miRNAs) desempenliam papel chave no desenvolvimento vegetal, observação comprovada pela avaliação fenotípica e molecular de plantas transgênicas e de mutantes defectivos na produção de tais RNAs. MiRNAs são produzidos a partir de precursores longos (pri-miRNAs), os quais são posteriormente processados por enzimas específicas, gerando o miRNA maduro (20-22 nt). O miRNA maduro, por sua vez, guia a clivagem do mRNA de genes-alvo e bloqueia a tradução de proteínas, afetando diversos aspectos do desenvolvimento. O sequênciamento de populações de RNAs regulatórios possibilitou a identificação de miRNAs conservados e específicos em diferentes espécies vegetais, embora estudos em plantas de importância econômica sejam ainda incipientes. Atualmente, existem diversos bancos públicos de sequências ESTs disponíveis. Esses bancos possuem um grande número de sequências não-codíficantes, dentre as quais podem estar presentes pri-miRNAs, os quais são também são moléculas poliadeniladas similares a mRNAs codifícantes. O banco público de ESTs de cana-de-açúcar TIGR Gene Index foi usado como base para uma busca de miRNAs. O processo criado possibilitou a identificação de 20 precursores de miRNAs, agrupados em 15 famílias distintas. No presente trabalho desenvolveu-se também ferramenta para predição de potenciais alvos para os miRNAs encontrados. As famílias de miRNAs de cana-de-áçucar e a ferramenta de predição de genes-alvo estão integrados em banco de dados que estará disponível brevemente. Análise de expressão gênica demonstrou que precursors de miRNAs de cana-de-açúcar acumulam em níveis variáveis em distintos tecidos/órgãos. Além disso, tanto o acúmulo do miRNA maduro quanto a degradação do mRNA-alvo foram avaliados para alguns casos estudados. A caracterização de um miRNA específico de monocotiledôneas (miR528) e a confirmação de seu alvo, um gene comum em angiospermas, predito pela primeira vez neste trabalho, gera um interessante questionamento sobre a regulação desse gene via miRNA apenas em monocotiledôneas / Abstract: No-coding RNAs of 20-27 nucleotides (nt) transcriptional or posttranscriptionally regulate endogenous gene expression, affecting the cellular output of transcripts and proteins. Among these RNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in plant development as confirmed by phenotypic and molecular evaluation of transgenic plants and knockout mutants defective in miRNA biogenesis and function. miRNAs are produced from long precursors (pri-miRNAs), which are processed by specific enzymes into the mature miRNA (20-22 nt). The mature miRNA guides the cleavage of target genes as well as impairs protein translation, affecting several development processes. Deep sequencing of small RNAs identified conserved and species-specific miRNAs. Nevertheless, studies on crops are still in their infancy. Public ESTs databases are an important source of no-coding sequences, in which we can find miRNAs precursors, which are polyadenilated RNAs as messenger RNAs. In this work, the public sugarcane EST database TIGR Gene Index was used to search conserved miRNAs. The pipeline developed in this work made possible the identification of 20 miRNAs precursors, grouped into 15 families. It was also developed a search tool for potential miRNAs targets. Sugarcane miRNAs precursors displayed tissue/organ differential expression profiles. Moreover, a new identified miRNA target was confirmed experimentally. This new target is regulated by a monocot specific miRNA, miR528. Interestingly, this miRNA target is conserved in eudicots and monocots, even though its regulation by miRNA is not. This finding raises the question of why this gene has evolved in having a miRNA-mediated posttranscriptional regulation only in monocots / Mestrado / Bioquimica / Mestre em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

Les microARNs (miARNs), petits ARNs non codants, sont des fins régulateurs de l’expression des gènes. Les miARNs jouent des rôles essentiels dans les processus biologiques physiologiques mais aussi pathologiques. Cependant, leurs rôles durant l’ovogenèse chez les vertébrés demeurent peu documentés. D’une manière similaire aux gènes ovocytes-spécifiques, nous avons proposé l’hypothèse que les miARNs ovaire-prédominants joueraient des rôles essentiels durant l’ovogenèse et/ou le développement embryonnaire précoce. L’objectif de ma thèse était, dans un premier temps, d’identifier les miARNs ovaire-prédominants chez le médaka (Oryzias latipes). Ensuite, dans un deuxième temps, de caractériser le rôle de MiR202, un miARN gonades-prédominant chez les vertébrés. Par une analyse transcriptionnelle à grande échelle, nous avons identifié 66 miARNs ovaire-prédominants chez le médaka, qui, pour la plupart, n’ont jamais été identifiés ni chez le poisson ni dans l’ovaire. Neuf d’entre eux ont été validés par PCRq. Parmi ces derniers, 3 miARNs (MiR4785, MiR6352 et MiR729) présentent une expression ovarienne stricte. De plus, nous avons mis en évidence une isoforme de MiR202 qui est ovaire-prédominante. L’analyse de l’expression de MiR202 durant l’ovogenèse et le développement embryonnaire a montré une expression de ce dernier durant tous les stades de l’ovogenèse. Cependant, il n’est détecté que durant les premiers stades de développement embryonnaire, précédent l’activation du génome zygotique, en cohérence avec un potentiel effet maternel. Afin de caractériser la fonction de MiR202, nous avons réalisé une inactivation fonctionnelle de ce dernier chez le médaka par le système CRISPR/Cas9. La déplétion de mir202 a causé une baisse de fécondité et un arrêt du développement avant le stade une cellule. Une analyse transcriptionnelle globale des ovaires mir202-/-, nous a permis d’identifier plusieurs gènes modulés par MiR202. Parmi eux, six3, cible potentielle de MiR202, semble réguler plusieurs gènes essentiels durant l’ovogenèse ou le développement embryonnaire. Ces travaux nous ont permis d’identifier plusieurs miARNs ovaire-prédominants. Parmi eux, nous avons montré que MiR202 joue un rôle essentiel durant l’ovogenèse et sa contribution en tant que gène à effet maternel est indispensable au développement embryonnaire précoce chez le médaka. / MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-codant RNAs that emerged as key regulators of gene expression. MiRNAs play important roles in both normal physiological and pathological pathways in many organisms. The involvement of miRNAs in vertebrate oogenesis remains however poorly documented. Based on the assumption that ovarian-specific or ovarian-predominant genes usually play important roles in oogenesis or early development in vertebrates, we searched for ovarian-predominant miRNAs in the medaka (Oryzias latipes) ovary, in one hand. In another hand, we studied the function of MiR202, a gonadal predominant miRNA in vertebrates. Using genome-wide expression analysis, we identify 66 miRNAs predominantly expressed in the ovary, most of them have never been described neither in fish nor in ovaries. Nine were validated by QPCR. Among them, 3 miRNAs exhibit a strict ovarian expression (MiR4785, MiR6352 and MiR729). Further, we identify a novel miR202 isomiR that exhibits an ovarian predominant expression. MiR202 expression analyses during oogenesis and early embryonic development revealed an expression in all oogenesis stages. However, it was only detected in early developmental stages before onset of zygotic genome activation (ZGA), suggesting that this MiR202 is maternally inherited in medaka. To decipher MiR202 function, CRISPR/Cas9 system was used to functionally inactivate this miRNA in medaka. Mir202 depletion causes a reduced fecundity and an early embryonic developmental arrest. Global gene expression profiling of mir202-/- ovaries revealed that many genes are regulated by MiR202. Among them, six3, that could be a putative target of MiR202, seems to be involved in the regulation pathway of many genes that are essential in oogenesis and embryonic development. During my PhD, we identify many ovarian-predominant miRNAs. Among them, we showed that MiR202 plays an essential role during oogenesis and plays a key role during early embryonic development as a maternal effect gene.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have now been identified in a vast array of organisms and a great deal of research has been carried out to elucidate the role they play. The dysregulation of miRNA expression has been implicated in a number of disease states and their importance has been highlighted by the beginning of their utilisation as therapeutics. The focus of this study was to identify the role played by miRNAs encoded by the Marek’s disease vaccine viruses, Marek’s disease virus serotype 2 (MDV-2) and Herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT). In order to better understand the functions of these miRNAs we wanted to identify their targets within the host cell. Using a combination of bioinformatic and biochemical approaches we were able to build up a library of potential targets. Three viral miRNA targets; AKT3, RAP1A and DEK, were further validated using dual-luciferase assays to highlight the exact site of miRNA targeting, and western blots to demonstrate an effect of miRNA targeting on protein abundance. An attempt at using label-free proteomics to observe the viral miRNA mediated changes in the host proteome is also described, however this proved to be unsuccessful. Additionally the function of one particular MDV-2 miRNA, mdv2-miR-M21, was explored in more detail, describing its role as a potential ortholog of the host miRNA; gga-miR-29b. By using the observation that the viral miRNA contained an identical 'seed' region to the host miRNA, we were able to use the data collected from existing studies on miR-29b to search for targets of mdv2-miR-M21. We demonstrated that mdv2-miR-M21 targeted DNMT3B, crucial for epigenetic modification of the genome. The final part of this study aimed to understand the wider context the viral miRNAs played in the viral biology and protective ability of the vaccine viruses. The miRNAs were deleted from the viruses, and then the miRNA-deletion viruses were used to vaccinate birds before challenge with the oncogenic Marek's disease virus serotype 1 (MDV-1), survival rates to the 'wild-type' MDV-2 and HVT vaccine viruses were then compared.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a leading cause of liver transplantation and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide. HCV, like all obligate parasites, relies on host pathways to facilitate its pathogenesis. In particular, the virus possesses an intimate link with hepatic lipid metabolism, promoting a lipid-rich cellular environment conducive to HCV propagation. Clinically, these metabolic perturbations manifest as steatosis in over 50% of patients. The majority of research to-date examining how the virus co-opts hepatic lipid pathways has been focused on coding genes and their protein products. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, which have been implicated in virtually every cellular process. Through interactions with partially complementary mRNAs, each individual miRNA has the capacity to repress the expression of hundreds of genes and induce significant regulatory effects. Herein, we demonstrate that hepatic miRNAs, including miR-7, miR-27a/b, miR-130b, and miR-185, act as crucial regulatory molecules to the maintenance of hepatic lipid homeostasis. These miRNAs cooperate to regulate fatty acid and cholesterol metabolism. HCV modulates the expression of a subset of these miRNAs (miR-27a/b, miR-130b, and miR-185) to promote hepatocellular lipid accumulation and the HCV life cycle. There appears to be a broad viral requirement for lipids, and the mammalian innate immune response strategically targets host metabolic pathways to restrict virus’ access to key lipid species. We demonstrate that 25-hydroxycholesterol, a broadly anti-viral oxysterol produced as part of the innate anti-viral response, activates miR-185 expression in the liver to deplete virus infected cells of lipids. HCV appears to actively counteract this anti-viral response by suppressing miR-185 expression. Collectively, our results highlight the role of microRNAs in hepatic lipid metabolism and the immunometabolic response to viral infection.

Les microARN sont de petits ARN non codant régulant post-transcriptionnellement l’expression de certains gènes. Du fait de leur fort potentiel régulateur, une modification de leur expression peut conduire à l’apparition de pathologies telles que le cancer ou l’inhibition des mécanismes de défense contre des pathogènes. Notre objectif est de caractériser le rôle de certains miARN dans la formation de cancer gastrique dû à Helicobacter pylori. En effet, cette bactérie peut conduire à l’apparition d’adénocarcinome gastrique et de lymphome du MALT. Sa virulence est essentiellement due à la protéine CagA, injectée dans les cellules de la muqueuse gastrique. Par séquençage à haut débit du contenu en miARN d’une lignée épithéliale gastrique humaine, co-cultivée ou non avec H. pylori, nous avons observé que les niveaux de miR-200b/c sont augmentés par l’infection. Ces miARN sont des inhibiteurs puissants de la transition épithélio-mésenchymateurse (TEM), modification morphologique promotrice d’invasion. Ils ciblent les facteurs de transcription ZEB1/2 avec lesquels ils sont impliqués dans une boucle de rétro-action mutuellement répressive. Le niveau basal élevé de miR-200b/c dans ces cellules réprime totalement ZEB1, tandis que l’infection par H. pylori, sous la dépendance de CagA, promeut une TEM en induisant ZEB1. Paradoxalement, les miR-200b/c sont aussi augmentés lors de l’infection transcriptionnellement. Nous avons pu démontrer que l’augmentation des miR-200b/c dans les cellules infectées a pour rôle de modérer l’induction de ZEB1 via l’activation de NF-kB, constituant ainsi un mécanisme de défense des cellules hôte contre la perte de leur identité épithéliale. / MicroRNA are small noncoding RNA that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression. Due to their high regulator potential, a change in their expression may lead to the emergence of diseases such as cancer or inhibition of defense mechanisms against pathogens. Our aim is to characterize the role of miRNA in the response of gastric eptithelial cells to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Indeed, H. pylori promote gastric adenocarcinoma and MALT lymphoma. Its virulence is essentially mediated by CagA, injected into cells of the gastric mucosa. Thanks to high throughput sequencing of miRNA content of a gastric epithelial cell line, infected or not with H. pylori: miR-200b and -200c appeared up-regulated upon infection. These miRNA are potent inhibitors of the “epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition” (EMT), a process that drastically alters cell morphology and promotes cell invasion. MiR-200b/c target the transcription factors ZEB1 and ZEB2, with which they are involved in a mutually repressive feedback loop. In basal conditions, the high levels miR-200b/c in gastric epithelial cells totally silence ZEB1 mRNA whereas H. pylori promotes EMT via ZEB1 expression, on the dependence of CagA translocation into host cells. But, paradoxically, miR-200b/c levels were also up-regulated upon infection. The increased miR-200b/c levels in infected cells moderate ZEB1 induction thanks to NF-kB activation and constitute a self-defense mechanism to thwart the loss of their epithelial phenotype upon infection.

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is an anion channel that when mutated causes the disease cystic fibrosis (CF). Many obstacles hinder the understanding of CF disease pathogenesis, impeding advancements in understanding how mutations cause disease, and slowing the progress towards new treatments. To this end, we have profiled the transcriptome (mRNA and microRNA) of human and newborn pig CF and non-CF airway epithelia. We show that the use of cross-species transcriptomics allows the identification of genes differentially expressed owing to the loss of CFTR, and not due to confounding environmental or secondary disease progression influences. The identification of reduced OAS1 expression in CF samples is a case in point. We also demonstrate the utility of transcriptome profiling and longitudinal studies in pigs, providing greater understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying CF disease progression. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) comprise a large family of ~21-nt long non-coding RNAs that function as key post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. Very little is known of how CFTR is regulated in the cell, both transcriptionally and post-transcriptionally. We discovered three miRNAs: miR-509-3p, miR-494 and miR-138 with possible CFTR regulatory functions. miR-509-3p or -494 directly target the CFTR mRNA, and decrease CFTR levels when over expressed; while inhibiting them had the opposite effect. Upon stimulating human airway epithelial cells with TNFα or IL-1β, we observed an increase in expression of both miRNAs mediated in part by the NF-κB transcription factor complex, with a concurrent decrease in CFTR expression. Gene ontology classification of predicted targets of miR-509-3p and/or miR-494 expressed in the airway epithelium revealed enrichment for genes in ion transport pathways. To our knowledge, this is the first suggestion of a possible role for miRNAs regulating a broad range of important epithelial electrolyte and fluid transport proteins. The study of miR-138 mediated regulation of CFTR expression has led to novel discoveries in the field of CFTR transcriptional control. We discovered SIN3A to be a novel transcriptional repressor of CFTR, interacting with CTCF on the CFTR promoter at the -20.9 kb DHS. By validating SIN3A as a conserved target of miR-138, we also discovered miR-138 to be a novel transcriptional regulator/activator of CFTR. The most common CFTR mutation, ΔF508, causes protein misfolding, degradation, and CF. Manipulating the miR-138/SIN3A regulatory network improved the biosynthesis of CFTR-ΔF508, restoring Cl- transport to human CF airway epithelia. To our knowledge, this is the first example of an individual miRNA having such broad regulatory functions. This discovery also provided novel targets for restoring CFTR function in cells affected by the most common CF mutation. To this end, we are utilizing the molecular signatures of miR-138 over-expression and SIN3A knockdown to identify candidate genes for RNA interference screens, and to identify candidate small molecule drugs that might mimic the effects of these two interventions. The goal of this approach is to develop a new therapeutic agent that restores anion transport to airway epithelia and other cell types and tissues affected by CF.

MicroRNA (miRNA) function is required for normal animal development, in particular in stem cell and precursor populations. I hypothesize that miRNAs are similarly required for stem cell maintenance and appropriate fate commitment in the brain. To test the requirement for global microRNA production, I depleted the microRNA biosynthetic enzyme DICER in the developing mouse brain. I found that DICER loss in embryonic neural progenitor cells leads to embryonic lethality with microcephaly. By histological analysis, I found defects in both neural progenitor cell maintenance and cell differentiation. I also identified new candidate microRNAs for this phenotype by profiling miRNAs in DICER-depleted and control cells. Three microRNAs which are good candidates to modulate nervous differentiation are miR-23b, -182, and -34a. I describe the expression pattern and functional characterization of these candidates. In particular, miR-34a depletes neuron production after progenitor cell differentiation in culture, likely by modulating cell cycling and Notch pathway genes.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第22340号 / 医博第4581号 / 新制||医||1042(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 影山 龍一郎, 教授 井上 治久, 教授 上杉 志成 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM