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Existence of a microRNA pathway in anucleate platelets

Patricia Landry1, Isabelle Plante, Dominique L Ouellet

  • 1Centre de Recherche en Rhumatologie et Immunologie, CHUL Research Center/CHUQ, and Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, Canada.

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology
|August 12, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Human platelets contain microRNAs (miRNAs) and the necessary machinery for their function. This finding reveals a new layer of gene expression regulation in these anucleate blood cells.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Gene Regulation

Background:

  • Platelets are essential for hemostasis and thrombosis.
  • Anucleate platelets possess mRNAs and protein synthesis capabilities.
  • Regulation of platelet mRNA is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence and function of microRNAs (miRNAs) in human platelets.
  • To explore the mechanisms of mRNA regulation in anucleate platelets.

Main Methods:

  • Detection of miRNAs, Dicer, and Argonaute 2 (Ago2) complexes in human platelets.
  • Analysis of miRNA involvement in mRNA translation control.
  • Immunoprecipitation to identify mRNA targets of miRNA machinery.

Main Results:

  • Human platelets contain abundant and diverse miRNAs.
  • Platelets possess functional Dicer and Ago2 complexes.
  • Evidence suggests P2Y(12) mRNA is regulated by miRNAs in platelets.

Conclusions:

  • MicroRNAs add complexity to gene expression control in anucleate platelets.
  • Platelet miRNA machinery plays a role in regulating gene expression.
  • This discovery impacts understanding of platelet function in cardiovascular health and disease.

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