MicroRNAs and Their Predicted TargetMessenger RNAs are Deregulated by Exposure to a Carcinogenic Dose of Comfrey in Rat Liver

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that function as regulators of gene expression to control cell growth and differentiation. MiRNA levels are substantially altered in various types of tumors and have been used as biomarkers in defining malignant status. However, studies on responses of miRNA expression to carcinogen insults in their target tissues are rare. In this study, we analyzed miRNA expression in the livers of rats treated with carcinogenic dose of comfrey (Symphytum officinale), a rat botanical carcinogen.微小RNA（MicroRNAs，miRNAs）是一类小型非编码RNA（non-coding RNAs），可作为基因表达的调控因子，参与调控细胞生长与分化过程。多种肿瘤组织中miRNA的表达水平会发生显著改变，其已被用作界定恶性肿瘤状态的生物标志物。然而，针对靶组织中miRNA表达在致癌物刺激下的应答反应的相关研究仍较为少见。本研究对经致癌剂量聚合草（Symphytum officinale，一种大鼠植物源致癌物）处理的大鼠肝脏组织中的miRNA表达情况进行了分析。