Argonaute 2 complexes selectively protect the circulating microRNAs in cell-secreted microvesicles.

ABSTRACT: Cell-secreted miRNAs are highly stable and can serve as biomarkers for various diseases and signaling molecules in intercellular communication. The mechanism underlying the stability of circulating miRNAs, however, remains incompletely understood. Here we show that Argonaute 2 (Ago2) complexes and microvesicles (MVs) provide specific and non-specific protection for miRNA in cell-secreted MVs, respectively. First, the resistance of MV-encapsulated miRNAs to RNaseA was both depended on intact vesicular structure of MVs and protease-sensitive. Second, an immunoprecipitation assay using a probe complementary to human miR-16, a miRNA primarily located in the MVs and showed a strong, protease-sensitive resistance to RNaseA, identified Ago2 as a major miR-16-associated protein. Compared with prot

SUBMITTER: Li L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3471944 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature