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Semin Reprod Med 2008; 26(6): 515-521
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1096131
© Thieme Medical Publishers

MicroRNA: A New Tool for Biomedical Risk Assessment and Target Identification in Human Uterine Leiomyomas

Jian-Jun Wei1 , Patricia Soteropoulos2
  • 1Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
  • 2Public Health Research Institute and Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
24 October 2008 (online)

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ABSTRACT

MicroRNA (miRNA) expression is tissue specific or cell-type specific. miRNA signatures are useful tools for tumor classification and target gene identification. We and others found that uterine leiomyomas (ULMs) expressed a distinct miRNA signature. In addition, miRNA expression appears to be strongly associated with race and other biomedical factors, such as tumor sizes. Among the most highly dysregulated miRNAs, let-7 miRNAs seem to play a critical role in tumorigenesis of ULMs through negative regulation of some key target oncogenes, including high mobility group 2.

KEYWORDS

Leiomyoma - microRNA - expression - ethnicity

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Jian-Jun WeiM.D. 

Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, SOM

Feinberg 7-334, 251 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611

Email: jianjun-wei@northwestern.edu

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