褪黑素介导microRNA在动物生命活动中的调控作用

The regulatory role of melatonin mediated microRNA in animals

褪黑素(melatonin, MT)是由脑松果体分泌的吲哚类激素,褪黑素及其受体参与调控不同的生理过程。microRNA是一类长约18~24 nt,在转录后水平介导基因沉默的一类短单链非编码RNA分子,与真核生物中的基因表达调控密切相关。目前关于褪黑素介导microRNA在体内的调控范围涉及动物肝脏、肾脏疾病以及肿瘤细胞发生和细胞老化过程。本文将褪黑素和microRNA结合分析,就褪黑素介导microRNA在动物机体调控中的作用进行综述,为褪黑素介导microRNA在动物机体调控作用研究提供理论依据,以便更好地应用于生产实践。

Melatonin(MT)is an indole hormone secreted by the pineal gland of the brain;and together with its receptors,this hormone is involved in regulating different physiological processes.MicroRNA is a class of single-stranded non-coding RNA in a length of about 18~24 nucleotides,its main role is to mediate gene silencing at the post-transcriptional level,and it is widely present in single-cell and multinucle-ated eukaryotes.The current studies show that the scope of melatonin-mediated regulation of microRNA in vivo involves animal livers,kid-neys,and tumor cells and cell aging.This paper reviews,by relating melatonin with microRNA,the existing researches on and application of melatonin-mediated microRNA in animal body processes,,in the hope of offering theoretical support for future research on melatonin-media-ted microRNA in animal physiology,and for better application of the research results to animal production practice.