细菌非编码RNA的系统发现和功能研究
毕研究员等开展了结核菌非编码RNA系统发现、标注及功能研究来回答其有多少非编码RNA？基因组定位？与结核菌的致病性和耐药产生相关的有哪些？可望在结核菌的致病和耐药机制方面获得重要发现，为结核病的治疗和预防提供重要依据。
转录因子和miRNA在复杂疾病中的共调控网络研究
Transcription factors (TFs) are key regulators controlling the transcription of target genes by binding to specific DNA sequences on the promoter of target genes. Both the TFs and miRNAs are regulators of gene expression and they may mutual regulate each other to form feedback loops (FBL), or they regulate the same target gene to form a feed-forward loop (FFL). It has been reported that hundreds of potential miRNA-mediated feedback and feed-forward loops are available at the genome level. To predict the TF-miRNA co-regulatory FFL and FBL loops, we integrated multiple data of TF targets and miRNA targets including both experimentally validated and predicted. Thus, we developed a strategy to predict the TF-miRNA co-regulatory FFL and FBL loops. We used these methods to study the TF-miRNA co-regulation in specific diseases including schizophrenia and T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). We identified and verified some key miRNA and genes in these diseases. In the T-ALL, we obtained 120 FFLs among T-ALL related genes, miRNAs and TFs. Afterwards, a T-ALL miRNA and TF co-regulatory network was constructed and its significance was tested by statistical methods. Four miRNAs in the miR-17~92 cluster and 4 important genes (CYLD, HOXA9, BCL2L11, and RUNX1) were found as hubs in the network. Particularly, we found that miR-19 was highly expressed in T-ALL patients and cell lines. Ectopic expression of miR-19 repress CYLD expression, while miR-19 inhibitor treatment induce CYLD protein expression and decreases NF-κB expression in the downstream signaling pathway. Thus, miR-19, CYLD and NF-κB form a regulatory feed-forward loop, which provides new clues for sustained activation of NF-κB in T-ALL. Some single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNA genes or target sites (miRNA-related SNPs) have been proved to be associated with human diseases by affecting the miRNA mediated regulatory function. To systematically analyze miRNA-related SNPs and their effects, we performed a genome-wide scan for SNPs in human pre-miRNAs, miRNA flanking regions, target sites and designed a pipeline to predict the effects of them on miRNA-target interaction. As a result, we identified 48 SNPs in human miRNA seed regions and thousands of SNPs in 3'- untranslated regions with the potential to either disturb or create miRNA-target interactions. Furthermore, we experimentally confirmed 7 loss-of-function SNPs and 1 gain-of-function SNP by luciferase assay. All useful data were complied into miRNASNP, a user-friendly free online database (http://www.bioguo.org/miRNASNP/). These data will be a useful resource for studying miRNA function, identifying disease-associated miRNAs, and further personalized medicine.
sRNA Induces the Large-scale Transdetermination of Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Hematopoietic Stem Cells in Human.
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can differentiate into cells of bone, endothelium, adipose tissue, cartilage, muscle, and brain. However, whether they can transdeterminate into hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) remains unsolved. We report here that a subpopulation of human MSCs that are CD44+,CD29+, CD105+, CD166+,CD133-,CD34- could differentiate into hematopoietic stem cells (CD150+/CD133+/CD34+) and their descending blood cells in vitro, when transfected with new endogenous shRNAs The sRNA was high-effectively delivered into MSCs by a novel peptide means. These induced MSC-HSCs could form different types of hematopoietic colonies as nature-occurring HSCs did. Upon transplantation into sublethally irradiated NOD/SCID mice, these MSC-HSCs engrafted and differentiated into all hematopoietic lineages such as erythrocytes, lymphocytes, myelocytes and thrombocyte. More importantly, these induced HSCs could successfully engraft and effectively function in patients with severe aplastic anemia. Furthermore, we demonstrated the first evidence that the transdetermination of MSCs was induced by acetylation of histone proteins and activation of many transcriptional factors. Together, our findings identify the sRNAs that dictates a directed differentiation of MSCs toward HSCs and open up a new source for HSCs used for the treatment of blood diseases and artificial stem cell-made blood.
全谱miRNA非标记芯片技术
芯片技术是miRNA表达谱高通量检测的主要手段之一，而常规芯片和测序技术常需要几小时的人工操作才能完成标记，导致成本过高、操作过于繁琐，重复性较差，因此，要走向临床比较困难。我们利用自主研发的技术，首次实现了高通量microRNA芯片的非标记检测，大幅度降低了检测的标记时间和检测成本。
报告首先介绍了目前主流的miRNA芯片技术，然后阐述了我们的芯片技术原理，并对性能进行了全面的评价和对比，除了无需对miRNA进行标记以外，还具有以下优点：1，高效识别小分子RNA中间和末端的单碱基缺失、冗余的差异，常规芯片技术难以实现；2，高灵敏度，检测限为20 fM，检测丰度跨4个数量级，满足绝大多数小分子RNA的检测；3，直接使用总RNA，无需预分离小分子RNA，无需样品标记，大幅度降低了检测的时间和成本；4，检测不受植物等miRNA的3'末端甲基化影响，而其他酶法标记的技术效率大幅度降低。
最后将我们的技术与测序技术进行了比较，认为我们的技术在检测成本、大量样品处理、数据分析、检测时间和重复性方面具有优势，是对比两种状态的miRNA表达谱的一个理想技术。
循环血微小RNA在诊断急性心肌梗死中的应用前景
随着我国经济的发展和人民生活水平的提高、饮食结构和环境因素的改变，以血管功能失衡为病理学基础的心脑血管疾病的发病率呈逐年上升趋势，对我国人民群众健康构成了极大威胁。
最近研究表明，多种miRNA参与了胚胎发育、心血管疾病发生、肿瘤发生等生理病理进程。MiRNA在不同组织中具有不同的表达谱，在循环血中并具有较高的稳定性。各种组织在不同原因引起的损伤时，循环血中miRNA含量会发生相应的改变，有可能在相关疾病的发生发展中作为分子标志物。
我们在研究中发现，心肌特异的miR-208a能够作为心肌缺血的血清标志物，具有较高的灵敏性和特异性。血管损伤及随后由其引起的重塑在冠心病、高血压等心脑血管疾病中也发挥重要作用，研究表明循环血miRNA也具备作为血管损伤重塑相关疾病的血清标志物的潜在价值。
非编码RNA参与狼疮等自身免疫病的病理机制及临床意义
信号通路中的一些关键分子的表达或功能失调会导致细胞内信号通路紊乱从而参与疾病。非编码RNA（ncRNA）,包括miRNA和长链非编码RNA（lncRNA）在信号传递通路的调节中有着重要作用。我们以系统性红斑狼疮这一重要自身免疫疾病为研究模型来研究非编码RNA在自身免疫病关键致病通路中的作用。我们已发表的系列工作揭示了遗传及表观遗传因子可导致与狼疮重要免疫表型相关的一组miRNA表达异常。我们也进一步多方位阐述了多个miRNA分别或协同参与狼疮脏器受累相关的免疫炎症通路的异常活化的分子机制。更为重要的是，通过体外实验和体内研究证实了靶向干预疾病相关miRNA可以改变疾病的异常免疫病理表型(Nat Med 2012; PLoS Genet 2011; Blood 2010;J Immunol 2010; Arthritis Rheum 2009; 2010; 2011。受邀在Nat Rev Rheumatol上发表特邀综述)。干扰素通路异常激活在系统性红斑狼疮的发病中起着重要作用。近期我们的研究发现lncRNA能调节干扰素通路中的一个关键转录因子STAT1的表达从而参与STAT1信号传递通路的调节。这些研究为深入阐明ncRNA在自身免疫性疾病发生发展中的细胞和分子机理，为今后发展ncRNA靶向治疗提供理论基础。
New Trends in RNA-Seq
来自Illumina China的测序产品经理余菽亮，分别从以下几个方面做了详细介绍： 在RNA序列的新的趋势，RNA序列的好处，RNA序列的挑战RNA序列的进化，TruSeq Standed RNA dUTP method ，提供完整的rRNA转录覆盖更多还原，TruSeq @ RNA库准备概述，单细胞测序的方法个别肿瘤细胞的转录组分析，细胞类型特异性基因表达标记，Fluidigm单细胞自准备系统概述等。
miRNA生物信息学及其在医学研究中的应用
miRNA是一类重要的基因调控因子，越来越多的证据表明miRNA在许多重要的生命过程中发挥着关键作用。因此，和miRNA有关的功能异常和许多疾病有关（根据人类miRNA疾病数据库， HMDD, http://cmbi.bjmu.edu.cn/hmdd, 的统计，目前已经有近400种人类疾病被报道了和miRNA有关）。因此，miRNA正在成为理解疾病发生发展机制的明星分子，并且疾病的预防、诊断与治疗中具有巨大的潜在的应用价值。从有关miRNA研究的一开始，生物信息学在其中就发挥着重要作用。从miRNA发现到靶基因预测，从分子进化到网络调控，从疾病易感位点确定到疾病miRNA关联分析，都可以看到生物信息学的身影。在本报告中，报告人将重点介绍本人实验室在miRNA-疾病-药物之间关系的生物信息学研究，从大规模数据分析到建模和预测，同时概括miRNA生物信息学在医学研究中的应用。
晶芯® 人类长链非编码RNA芯片V3.0的设计及在疾病研究中的应用
长链非编码RNA (lncRNA)以RNA的形式在多种层面上，通过影响染色质状态，RNA转录和翻译层面调控基因的表达。近年研究者非常关注lncRNA在各种生物学过程和疾病过程中所起到的作用，形成了新的研究热点。 博奥生物与中科院生物物理所陈润生院士研究组，基于已经公布的大量lncRNA数据库及实验室发现的800多条中等长度的非编码RNA，推出了自主设计的lncRNA芯片。继成功推出lncRNA V1.0 和 V2.0 芯片基础上，鉴于当前lncRNA 研究的快速进展，收集和更新lncRNA 序列信息，经过严格的序列筛选和整合，推出了新一代的晶芯lncRNA V3.0 芯片服务。最新的V3.0芯片包括约3.8万条lncRNA和约3.4万条mRNA探针，可以同时针对lncRNA和mRNA进行检测。在充分保证探针容量和重复数量（lncRNA和mRNA检测探针均重复2次以上）的前提下，降低了芯片成本和实验费用。在检测成本和检测准确性之间达到较好的平衡点。 通过lncRNA芯片检测，研究人员能够迅速获得与特定生物学过程或者疾病相关的lncRNA的表达变化，从而发现与特定生物学过程相关的lncRNA，寻找与疾病相关的lncRNA。
转录因子和miRNA在复杂疾病中的共调控网络研究
Transcription factors (TFs) are key regulators controlling the transcription of target genes by binding to specific DNA sequences on the promoter of target genes. Both the TFs and miRNAs are regulators of gene expression and they may mutual regulate each other to form feedback loops (FBL), or they regulate the same target gene to form a feed-forward loop (FFL). It has been reported that hundreds of potential miRNA-mediated feedback and feed-forward loops are available at the genome level.