Expression patterns of microRNAs 155 and 451 during normal human erythropoiesis

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications Vol. 364; no. 3; pp. 509 - 514
• Main Authors: Masaki, Shizuka, Ohtsuka, Rie, Abe, Yasunobu, Muta, Koichiro, Umemura, Tsukuru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 21.12.2007
• Subjects: Blood cell; Cell Differentiation; Cells, Cultured; Differentiation; Erythrocytes - cytology; Erythrocytes - physiology; Erythropoiesis; Erythropoiesis - genetics; Gene Expression Regulation - genetics; Human; Humans; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - cytology; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - physiology; Liquid culture system; MicroRNA; MicroRNAs - genetics; MiRNA-155; MiRNA-451; Progenitor; Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction; Erythropoiesis; Human; Blood cell; MicroRNA; Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction; Liquid culture system; Progenitor; Differentiation; MiRNA-451; MiRNA-155
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2007.10.077

To clarify the roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in erythropoiesis, the expression of miR-155, miR-221, miR-223, and miR-451 were analyzed during the differentiation of purified normal human erythroid progenitors in a liquid culture system. Cells increased almost 500-fold in a number, and differentiated to benzidine-positive mature erythroblasts. Analyses of miRNA expression using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that the expression level of miR-155 decreased about 200-fold, and that the expression of miR-451 increased about 270-fold during 12 days of cultures. A moderate down-regulation of miR-221 and miR-223 was observed. MiR-451 was expressed in red blood cells about 104-fold more than in granulocytes, obtained from normal human peripheral blood. These observations suggest that miR-155 and miR-451 are key molecules for normal erythroid differentiation, and that quantitative assays of the two miRNAs may be a relevant method for analyzing pathological erythropoiesis.