1. Oligonucleotides
  2. MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small dsRNA (pre-miRNA: hairpin-shaped single-stranded RNA) that function as important posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression. MiRNAs form RNA induced silencing complex (RISC) with various protein components that trigger endogenous RNA interference by regulating the stability or inducing mRNA degradation. MiRNAs are frequently altered in disease owing to genomic events, such as mutations, deletion amplification or transcriptional changes, or to biogenesis defects due to mutations or the downregulation of enzymes that regulate miRNA biogenesis.

Advances in the development of oligonucleotide chemistry have allowed for development of engineered oligonucleotides directed against specific miRNAs. MiRNA-based therapeutics can be divided into miRNA mimics and inhibitors of miRNAs (also known as antimiRs). MiRNA mimics are synthetic double-stranded small RNA molecules that match the corresponding miRNA sequence and therefore functionally aim to replenish the lost miRNA expression in diseases. By contrast, antimiRs are single stranded and based on first-generation antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), which had been designed to target mRNAs, or modified with locked nucleic acids (LNAs). AntimiRs with a 2ʹ-O-methoxyethyl modification are also called antagomiRs. These synthetic small RNA molecules have a complementary sequence to the miRNA to be inhibited and block the function of the corresponding miRNA by binding to it strongly.

MicroRNAs (18416):

Cat. No. Product Name CAS No. Purity Chemical Structure