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Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Describing a Transcription Factor Dependent Regulation of the MicroRNA Transcriptome
Published on: June 15, 2016
Age-Related Changes in MicroRNA in the Rat Pituitary and Potential Role in GH Regulation
Haojie Zhang1, Qien Qi2, Ting Chen3
1College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China. zhanghj089@126.com.
Abstract:
The growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor 1 (GH/IGF-1) axis has recently been recognized as an important factor related to the longevity of many organisms. MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) could also participate in diverse biological processes. However, the role of miRNAs in the decline of pituitary GH during the growth process remains unclear. To better characterize the effects of miRNAs on the pituitary, we used a miRNA microarray to investigate the miRNA profile in the rat pituitary from postnatal development throughout the growth process. Then, in vitro experiments were conducted to analyze the miRNAs' potential roles related to GH regulation. Taken together, the microarray results indicated that there were 22 miRNAs differentially expressed during pituitary development. The bioinformatics analysis suggested that the most differentially expressed miRNAs may participate in multiple pathways associated with the pituitary function. Furthermore, the in vitro findings demonstrated that miR-141-3p was involved in GH regulation.
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