Educational Level:

Roadmap Objectives:

• • Article: MicroRNA-22 (miR-22) overexpression is neuroprotective via general anti-apoptotic effects and may also target specific Huntington’s disease-related mechanisms. (2013) Jovicic et al., PLoS One 8, e54222.
  • Content area/major concepts: I chose this paper as the starting point because it highlights the role of miRNAs in normal cellular processes and indicates how dysregulation of miRNA expression may play a role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. In this paper, identification of miR-22 in neurons suggests it functions as a neuroprotective miRNA and thus may lead to a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of Huntington’s disease.
    
    regulation of gene expression, mRNA structure and function, signaling pathways, apoptosis
  • Methods or technology used to obtain data: cell culture, transfection, luciferase assays, reporter genes, lentiviral vectors, immunolabeling, immunoblotting, caspase activity assays
  • How the CREATE strategy was used: To be determined.
  • Biggest teaching challenge: introducing numerous new techniques
• • Article: Tumor invasion and metastasis initiated by microRNA-10b in breast cancer. (2007) Ma et al., Nature 449, 682-689.
  • Content area/major concepts: I chose this paper as the next one in the module because it shows how miRNAs are also involved in cancer initiation and progression.
    
    gene cloning, transcription factors, RNA-induced silencing complex, antisense oligonucleotides, cell proliferation, cell motility and invasiveness, tumor angiogenesis, metastasis
  • Methods or technology used to obtain data: RT-PCR, Real Time RT-PCR, transwell migration assay, Matrigel invasion assays, GFP tagging and imaging, H&E staining, injection of tumor cells into NOD-SCID mice, immunohistochemistry, cryosectioning, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)
  • How the CREATE strategy was used: To be determined.
  • Biggest teaching challenge: complicated techniques and data sets in addition to new cancer biology concepts
• • Article: Therapeutic silencing of miR-10b inhibits metastasis in a mouse mammary tumor model. (2010) Ma et al., Nature Biotechnology 28, 341-348.
  • Content area/major concepts: I chose this paper as the final paper of the module because it shows how understanding the role of miRNAs in gene regulation may lead to a therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. It also follows-up on the data discussed in Paper 2 and since the paper is from the same lab it helps illustrate the concept of biology as a process.
    
    RNA interference, antagomirs
  • Methods or technology used to obtain data: antagomirs, miRNA sponge
  • How the CREATE strategy was used: To be determined.
  • Biggest teaching challenge: builds on concepts in Paper 2 to make complex connections

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