Potential relevance of microRNAs in inter-species epigenetic communication, and implications for disease pathogenesis. Issue 4 (3rd April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Perge, Pál; Nagy, Zoltán; Decmann, Ábel; Igaz, Ivan; Igaz, Peter
• Is Part Of: RNA biology. Volume 14:Issue 4(2017)
• Page Start: 391
• Page End: 401
• Publication Date: 2017-04-03
• Subjects: Body fluid -- diet -- inter-individual -- inter-species -- microRNA -- milk -- xeno-microRNA; RNA -- Periodicals; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Molecular biology; RNA; Periodicals; 572.8805
• DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2016.1251001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1547-6286

Abstract

ABSTRACT: MicroRNAs are short non-protein coding RNA molecules involved in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Recently, extracellular microRNAs have been described in body fluids that might enable epigenetic communication between distant tissues. Being highly conserved molecules, exogenous xeno-microRNAs from different species could affect gene expression in the host even in a cross-kingdom fashion. Several data underline the relevance of microRNA-mediated communication between virus and host, and there are some experimental data showing that plant- or animal-derived dietary microRNAs might have gene expression modulating activity in humans. Milk-derived microRNAs might be involved in the "epigenetic priming" of the baby. Exogenous microRNAs might be hypothesized to be implicated in disease pathogenesis, e.g. in tumors. Major questions remain to be addressed including the amount of xeno-microRNAs needed for biological action or routes for microRNA delivery. In this brief review, experimental data and hypotheses on the potential pathogenic inter-species relevance of microRNA are presented.