Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

mRNA Stability and Gene Expression

mRNA Stability and Gene Expression

The structure and stability of mRNA molecules regulates gene expression, as mRNAs are a key step in the pathway from gene to protein. In eukaryotes, the half-life of mRNA varies from a few minutes up to several days. mRNA stability is essential in growth and development. The absence of the proteins regulating its stability, such as tristetraprolin in mice, can cause systemic issues, including bone marrow overgrowth, inflammation, and autoimmunity.
Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability

mRNA Stability and Gene Expression

mRNA Stability and Gene Expression

The structure and stability of mRNA molecules regulates gene expression, as mRNAs are a key step in the pathway from gene to protein. In eukaryotes, the half-life of mRNA varies from a few minutes up to several days. mRNA stability is essential in growth and development. The absence of the proteins regulating its stability, such as tristetraprolin in mice, can cause systemic issues, including bone marrow overgrowth, inflammation, and autoimmunity.
Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability

Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

The Upf proteins that carry out nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) are found in all eukaryotic organisms, including humans. Each protein has an individual role, but they need to work in collaboration. Upf1 is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase that unwinds the RNA helix. Because Upf1 can unwind any RNA, Upf2 and Upf3 are required to help Upf1 discriminate between nonsense and normal mRNAs.
Usually, Upf3 binds to an Exon Junction Complex (EJC) at mRNA splice sites. If a ribosome fully translates the mRNA,...

Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

The Upf proteins that carry out nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) are found in all eukaryotic organisms, including humans. Each protein has an individual role, but they need to work in collaboration. Upf1 is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase that unwinds the RNA helix. Because Upf1 can unwind any RNA, Upf2 and Upf3 are required to help Upf1 discriminate between nonsense and normal mRNAs.
Usually, Upf3 binds to an Exon Junction Complex (EJC) at mRNA splice sites. If a ribosome fully translates the mRNA,...

Nuclear Export of mRNA

Nuclear Export of mRNA

Before mRNAs are exported to the cytoplasm, it is crucial to check each mRNA for structural and functional integrity. Eukaryotic cells use several different mechanisms, collectively known as mRNA surveillance, to look for irregularities in mRNAs. Irregular or aberrant mRNA are rapidly degraded by various enzymes. If a defective mRNA escapes the surveillance, it would be translated into a protein which would either be non-functional or not function properly. One of the primary irregularities in...

Nuclear Export of mRNA

Nuclear Export of mRNA

Before mRNAs are exported to the cytoplasm, it is crucial to check each mRNA for structural and functional integrity. Eukaryotic cells use several different mechanisms, collectively known as mRNA surveillance, to look for irregularities in mRNAs. Irregular or aberrant mRNA are rapidly degraded by various enzymes. If a defective mRNA escapes the surveillance, it would be translated into a protein which would either be non-functional or not function properly. One of the primary irregularities in...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Developing Measurement-Based Care for Youth in an Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic: The Penn State Psychiatry Clinical Assessment and Rating Evaluation System for Youth (PCARES-Youth).

Evidence-based practice in child and adolescent mental health·2025

Same author

VLP-based model for the study of airborne viral pathogens.

Microbiology spectrum·2024

Same author

VLP-Based Model for Study of Airborne Viral Pathogens.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2024

Same author

Utilizing clathrin triskelions as carriers for spatially controlled multi-protein display.

Biomaterials·2016

Same author

Targeted Delivery of Deoxycytidine Kinase to Her2-Positive Cells Enhances the Efficacy of the Nucleoside Analog Fludarabine.

PloS one·2016

Same author

Transcriptional programs of lymphoid tissue capillary and high endothelium reveal control mechanisms for lymphocyte homing.

Nature immunology·2014

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Monitoring Protein-RNA Interaction Dynamics In Vivo at High Temporal Resolution Using χCRAC

Monitoring Protein-RNA Interaction Dynamics In Vivo at High Temporal Resolution Using χCRAC

Published on: May 9, 2020

Thy-1 mRNA destabilization by norepinephrine a 3' UTR cAMP responsive decay element and involves RNA binding

Melissa D LaJevic¹, Sujatha P Koduvayur, Veronique Caffrey

¹Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.

Brain, Behavior, and Immunity

|April 24, 2010

Summary

Norepinephrine (NE) downregulates Thy-1 mRNA via a cAMP-dependent pathway. This involves a specific AU-rich element (ARE) in the Thy-1 3' UTR and RNA-binding proteins like HuR, impacting immune cell function.

More Related Videos

Molecular Modulation by Lentivirus-Delivered Specific shRNAs in Endoplasmic Reticulum Stressed Neurons

Molecular Modulation by Lentivirus-Delivered Specific shRNAs in Endoplasmic Reticulum Stressed Neurons

Published on: April 24, 2021

Exploring Sequence Space to Identify Binding Sites for Regulatory RNA-Binding Proteins

Exploring Sequence Space to Identify Binding Sites for Regulatory RNA-Binding Proteins

Published on: August 9, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Monitoring Protein-RNA Interaction Dynamics In Vivo at High Temporal Resolution Using χCRAC

Monitoring Protein-RNA Interaction Dynamics In Vivo at High Temporal Resolution Using χCRAC

Published on: May 9, 2020

Molecular Modulation by Lentivirus-Delivered Specific shRNAs in Endoplasmic Reticulum Stressed Neurons

Molecular Modulation by Lentivirus-Delivered Specific shRNAs in Endoplasmic Reticulum Stressed Neurons

Published on: April 24, 2021

Exploring Sequence Space to Identify Binding Sites for Regulatory RNA-Binding Proteins

Exploring Sequence Space to Identify Binding Sites for Regulatory RNA-Binding Proteins

Published on: August 9, 2019

Area of Science:

Immunology
Neuroscience
Molecular Biology

Background:

Thy-1 is a cell surface protein crucial for T cell activation and neuronal development.
Norepinephrine (NE) downregulates Thy-1 expression in thymocytes via mRNA destabilization.
This process is mediated by beta-adrenergic receptor (βAR)/adenylyl cyclase (AC)/cyclic AMP (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) signaling.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying NE/cAMP-mediated Thy-1 mRNA destabilization.
To identify regulatory elements and protein factors involved in this posttranscriptional regulation.

Main Methods:

Analysis of the Thy-1 mRNA 3' untranslated region (UTR) for regulatory elements.
Reporter gene assays to assess the function of identified elements.
RNA-protein binding studies (e.g., RNA immunoprecipitation) to identify binding proteins.
RNA silencing (e.g., siRNA) to determine the role of specific proteins.
Immunoblotting to detect protein phosphorylation.

Main Results:

A region with two AUUUA motifs (AREs) in the Thy-1 3' UTR was identified.
This ARE region conferred cAMP-induced mRNA destabilization to a reporter gene.
Multiple RNA-binding proteins (AUF1, HuR, TIAR) were found to bind the Thy-1 ARE.
Silencing HuR enhanced cAMP-mediated Thy-1 mRNA downregulation, while silencing AUF1 had no effect.
PKA signaling resulted in the phosphorylation of multiple proteins.

Conclusions:

NE/cAMP-mediated Thy-1 mRNA decay involves a cAMP-responsive ARE in the 3' UTR.
Specific ARE-binding proteins, particularly HuR, play a role in this destabilization process.
These findings contribute to understanding Thy-1 mRNA regulation and the broader impact of ARE-containing mRNA regulation in stress-related immunosuppression.