Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Profiling of Estrogen-regulated MicroRNAs in Breast Cancer Cells
16:24

Profiling of Estrogen-regulated MicroRNAs in Breast Cancer Cells

Published on: February 21, 2014

20.7K

Signature microRNAs of nuclear Sm complex associated with breast cancer tumorigenesis

Xinyi Zhang1, Bo Shen1, Yalei Cui2

  • 1College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.

Journal of Cellular Biochemistry
|January 25, 2018
PubMed

Insights

This study identified mature microRNAs (miRNAs) within the nuclear Sm complex of breast cells. These nuclear miRNAs are linked to breast cancer development by potentially regulating alternative splicing.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • RNA Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Sm proteins are essential for spliceosome function in mRNA precursor splicing.
  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) influence alternative splicing by targeting splicing factor mRNAs.
  • The nuclear interaction between miRNAs and spliceosomal proteins remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize mature miRNAs within the nuclear Sm complex of normal and breast cancer cells.
  • To investigate the direct interaction between nuclear miRNAs and Sm complex proteins.
  • To explore the potential role of nuclear miRNAs in breast cancer tumorigenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Immunoprecipitation of the nuclear Sm complex using an SmD1-specific antibody.
  • Small RNA sequencing to identify mature miRNAs.
  • Northern blot analysis and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) to confirm miRNA presence and binding.

Main Results:

  • Identified 123 mature miRNAs in normal breast cells and 170 in breast cancer cells within the nuclear Sm complex.
  • Confirmed the presence and binding of mature miRNAs to Sm complex proteins.
  • Observed significant upregulation (94 miRNAs) and downregulation (39 miRNAs) of specific miRNAs in breast cancer cells.

Conclusions:

  • Nuclear miRNAs interact with Sm complex proteins, suggesting a novel regulatory mechanism.
  • Dysregulation of nuclear miRNAs in the Sm complex may contribute to breast cancer tumorigenesis via alternative splicing modulation.
  • This study offers new insights into spliceosome assembly regulation and the role of miRNAs in breast cancer.
Keywords:
Sm complexbreast cancermiRNAs

More Related Videos

MicroRNA Based Liquid Biopsy: The Experience of the Plasma miRNA Signature Classifier MSC for Lung Cancer Screening08:14

MicroRNA Based Liquid Biopsy: The Experience of the Plasma miRNA Signature Classifier MSC for Lung Cancer Screening

Published on: October 26, 2017

16.2K
Studying Triple Negative Breast Cancer Using Orthotopic Breast Cancer Model09:29

Studying Triple Negative Breast Cancer Using Orthotopic Breast Cancer Model

Published on: March 20, 2020

19.0K

Related Concept Videos

MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After...
24.3K
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...
4.1K
Nuclear Export of mRNA02:31

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...
8.9K
Nuclear Stability03:18

Nuclear Stability

Protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons, are packed together tightly in a nucleus. With a radius of about 10−15 meters, a nucleus is quite small compared to the radius of the entire atom, which is about 10−10 meters. Nuclei are extremely dense compared to bulk matter, averaging 1.8 × 1014 grams per cubic centimeter. If the earth’s density were equal to the average nuclear density, the earth’s radius would be only about 200 meters.
To hold positively charged protons together...
23.4K
Nuclear Fusion02:45

Nuclear Fusion

The process of converting very light nuclei into heavier nuclei is also accompanied by the conversion of mass into large amounts of energy, a process called fusion. The principal source of energy in the sun is a net fusion reaction in which four hydrogen nuclei fuse and ultimately produce one helium nucleus and two positrons.
A helium nucleus has a mass that is 0.7% less than that of four hydrogen nuclei; this lost mass is converted into energy during the fusion. This reaction produces about...
33.9K
Non-nuclear Inheritance01:29

Non-nuclear Inheritance

Most DNA resides in the nucleus of a cell. However, some organelles in the cell cytoplasm⁠—such as chloroplasts and mitochondria⁠—also have their own DNA. These organelles replicate their DNA independently of the nuclear DNA of the cell in which they reside. Non-nuclear inheritance describes the inheritance of genes from structures other than the nucleus.
23.3K