Downregulation of miR-15a and miR-16-1 at 13q14 in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

[摘要] Featured Article: Calin GA, Dumitru CD, Shimizu M, Bichi R, Zupo S, Noch E, et al. Frequent deletions and down-regulation of micro-RNA genes miR15 and miR16 at 13q14 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2002;99:15524–9.2MicroRNAs (miRNAs)3 are involved in many biological processes due to their posttranscriptional gene regulation function. Consequently, their crucial role in many diseases, including cancer, is now well known. Nevertheless, the connection between miRNA deregulation and tumorigenesis was unclear for quite some time. In the 2002 article discussed here (1), Dr. Croce's group reported the very first direct association between miRNAs and cancer. In the time preceding this important discovery, Dr. Croce devoted himself to the study of the most common human leukemia: chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). CLL is a malignancy of CD5-positive B cells occurring, for the most part, in individuals over the age of 60 years. At presentation the disease is usually indolent, although it often progresses to an aggressive form. An aggressive form at presentation occurs in 30% of patients. Consistent chromosomal …

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