No abstract

The full set of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the human genome is not known. Because presently known miRNAs have been identified by virtue of their abundant expression in a few cell types, many tissue-specific miRNAs remain unrevealed. To understand the role of miRNAs in B-cell function and lymphomagenesis, we generated short-RNA libraries from normal human B cells at different stages of development (naïve, germinal-center, memory) and from a Burkitt lymphoma cell-line. A combination of cloning and computational analysis identified 178 miRNAs (miRNome) expressed in normal and/or transformed B-cell libraries. Most notably, the B-cell miRNome included 75 miRNAs which to our knowledge have not been previously reported and of which 66 have been validated by RNA blot and/or RT-PCR analyses. Numerous miRNAs were expressed in a stage- or transformation-specific fashion in B cells, suggesting specific functional or pathologic roles. These results provide a resource for studying the role of miRNAs in B-cell development, immune function, and lymphomagenesis.

Adenotonsillectomy produces large improvements in at least short-term QOL in most children with OSDs.