miRNA-encoded peptides improving bone formation

DESCRIPTION

In plant, ORFs coding peptides were recently found upstream of miRNA genes and these peptides (or miPEPs) were able to modulate the expression of their associated miRNA with functional significance (Lauressergues et al., Nature (2015)).

 
A proof of concept was established on human cells. In human, bone formation is tightly regulated notably by microRNAs. Different miPEPs were experimentally assessed to be associated to these miRNAs and their in vitro effect on human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM MSCs) differentiation and on bone formation in vivo were both evaluated.

APPLICATIONS

• Osteoporosis
• Cartilage pathologies
• Osteo-regeneration