MicroRNA Interference Technologies

by Zhiguo Wang

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), endogenous noncoding regulatory mRNAs of around 22-nucleotides long, have rapidly emerged as one of the key governors of the gene expression regulatory program in cells of varying species, with ever-increasing implications in the control of the fundamental biological processes and in the pathogenesis of adult humans. The exciting findings in this field have inspired us with a premise and a promise that miRNAs will ultimately be taken to the heart for therapy of human disease. While miRNAs have been considered potential therapeutic targets for disease treatment, it remains obscured what strategies we can use to achieve the goal. In the past years, we have witnessed a rapid evolving of many creative, innovative, inventive strategies and methodologies pertinent to miRNA research and applications. These technologies have convincingly demonstrated their efficacy and reliability in producing gain-of-function or loss-of-function of miRNAs through targeting miRNA expression/biogenesis/function, providing new tools for elucidating miRNA functions and opening up a new avenue for the development of new agents targeting miRNAs for therapeutic aims. The present book provides comprehensive descriptions of these technologies and their applications to miRNA research and to new drug design for miRNA-related diseases. It starts with an overview of up-to-date knowledge of miRNA biology and the potential of miRNAs as therapeutic targets for human disease, followed by an introduction of the new concept of miRNA interference (miRNAi) and the perspectives of miRNAi technologies in general terms. In the following, each chapter introduces one of the miRNAi technologies with detailed descriptions of state-of-the-art design, procedures, principles and applications to basic research, R and D and clinical therapy.

206 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[أحمد رمضان · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, it was a very nice experience and a very informative trip .. The book concentrates on the Technologies used to investigate the miRNAs functions and to mimic\antagonize the miRNAs actions\effects.

The writer, however, started with miRNAs biology and biogenesis, and I think it was NOT a comprehensive review. He talked about miRNA expression, miRNA and Human diseases, and miRNAs as a therapeutic targets.

Then comes the main part of the book; the different miRNA interference technologies. First, he gave an overview, a good written one actually, and then he talked about every technology in a separate chapter, as follows:

Synthetic Canonical miRNA Technology
miRNA Mimic Technology
Multi-miRNA Hairpins and Multi-miRNA Mimics Technologies
miRNA Transgene Technology
Anti-miRNA Antisense Oligonucleotides Technology
Multiple-Target Anti-miRNA Antisense Oligonucleotides Technology
miRNA Sponge Technology
miRNA-Masking Antisense Oligonucleotides Technology
Sponge miR-Mask Technology
miRNA Knockout Technology
Dicer Inactivation Technology

In each chapter he talked about the protocol used (I didn't read the detailed protocol steps), the principle of actions, the applications, and the advantages and problems.

The book is very informative, but a lot of the info need to be updated. The miRNA field is an immature field and a lot of things have to be investigated and cleared. Nevertheless, the field is in its exponential growth stage, and, indeed, it is growing enormously.

[Niken · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very informative and explain about miRNA very well. As expected, it helps my work at the office. It explains an overview about miRNA, application in miRNA research, miRNA and human diseases, miRNA as therapeutic targets, miRNA expressions, and the different miRNA interference technologies, which is the main part of this book.