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Updated: Mar 11, 2026
Probe-based Real-time PCR Approaches for Quantitative Measurement of microRNAs
Published on: April 14, 2015
Absolute quantification of microRNAs in green tea (Camellia sinensis) by stem-loop quantitative real-time PCR
Ying-Hui Hou1, Anburaj Jeyaraj1, Xiao Zhang1
1State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang West Road, Hefei, 230036, P.R. China.
Background:
There are some studies to show that food-derived plant microRNAs (miRNAs) may be detected in mammals. The research evidence has provoked a considerable debate whether plant-derived miRNAs exert the same regulatory functions as endogenous animal miRNAs. To test the hypothesis, methods of highly sensitive absolute quantification miRNAs have been developed. However, absolute miRNA quantification of green tea has not yet been reported. This study is the first to build an absolute quantification method to detect miRNAs level in green tea using stem-loop quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).
Results:
Two miRNAs, csn-miR164 (a conserved miRNA) and csn-miRn329 (a tea-specific miRNA), were selected as examples for the detection and absolute quantification of miRNAs in green tea samples using stem-loop qRT-PCR. The content of csn-miR164 was significantly higher in the Yuexi Cuilan (YX) samples than in the Shucheng Orchid (SC) samples. The content of csn-miRn329 was found to be high at the start of processing in leaf tissues in both the withering and soaking experiments, after which it gradually decreased with time.
Conclusion:
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to absolutely quantify the miRNAs present in green tea. This method will help to further investigate the possibility that tea-derived miRNAs may play an important role on defending against various diseases in humans. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
