Bioinformatics Database
MIR34A: microRNA 34a
Cellular Process
Cap stage of tooth development
Gene Name
MIR34A: microRNA 34a
Gene ID
407040
Gene Sequence
General Description
This miRNA is a member of the highly conserved miR-34 family. This miRNA functions as a tumor suppressor and dysregulation or loss of the host gene from which this miRNA is processed is associated with cancer progression in numerous cell types.
Alternative titles; symbols
miRNA34A MIRN34A
Chromosome
Chromosome 1
Cytogenetic location
1p36.22
Encoded Protein
Function of the protein in oral and tooth development
The miRNA pathway is evident to have significant importance in embryogenesis including tooth development. miRNAs are found to regulate morphogenesis of tooth by fine-tuning the signalling networks (Khuu et al., 2016).
Wan et al., (2012) studied differential expression of miR-34a, as this microRNA was previously reported to regulate organogenesis. miR-34a mimics and inhibitors were transfected into human fetal dental papilla cells, mRNA levels of predicted target genes were detected by quantitative real-time PCR, and levels of putative target proteins were examined by western blotting. Findings from this study suggested that miR-34a may play important roles in dental papilla cell differentiation during human tooth development by targeting NOTCH and TGF-beta signaling (Wan et al., 2012).
A study by Sun et al (2014) investigated the crosstalk between signalling pathways of NOTCH and miR34A signalling, and found that miR34A inhibits NOTCH signalling to promote odontogenic and osteogenic differentiation of stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAPs) that play an important role in the formation and regeneration of root dentin.
Dental and Oral Diseases
Protein Sequence
Mutations
Related Literature
Khuu et al., (2016): https://doi.org/10.2174/2211536605666160706003256
Wan et al., (2012). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0050090
Sun, F., Wan, M., Xu, X., Gao, B., Zhou, Y., Sun, J., Cheng, L., Klein, O. D., Zhou, X., & Zheng, L. (2014). Crosstalk between miR-34a and Notch Signaling Promotes Differentiation in Apical Papilla Stem Cells (SCAPs). Journal of dental research, 93(6), 589–595. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034514531146
