Supervisors info:
Ιωάννα-Ραχήλ Συνοδινού-Traeger, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ, Επιβλέπουσα
Χριστίνα Βρεττού, Μέλος Ε.ΔΙ.Π., Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Κυριακή Κέκου, Μέλος Ε.ΔΙ.Π., Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
This dissertation was conducted under the aegis of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, as part of the Master’s Program “Medical Genetics: Clinical and Laboratory Direction” for the academic year 20192020. It is a bibliographic dissertation which focuses on the analysis and comparison of existing literature with regards to the contribution of miRNAs in erythropoiesis and expression of hemoglobin genes. Firstly, the necessary introductory information is presented, concerning erythropoiesis and hemoglobin’s gene sequence, discussing the various molecules and other factors which contribute to the biogenesis and function of miRNAs. Secondly, all in silico and in vitro methods of miRNA processing are presented, thoroughly explicating both the qPCR method and the various miRNA databases. In the third segment of the present work, the miRNAs that contribute to the procedure of the hematopoiesis, and more specifically that of erythropoiesis, are presented along with the most representative miRNAs connected to the hemoglobin genes and their pathological variants. Thus, miRNAs such as miR150, miR-223, miR-15a and miR-451, which are related both with erythropoiesis and hemoglobin genes are of great importance. Lastly, there is brief mention of pathological cases, such as β-thalassemia, and conclusions regarding the function of miRNAs in research, diagnosis and therapy are drawn, along with hypotheses about their future contribution.
Keywords:
miRNAs, Erythropoiesis, Hemoglobin, Gene expression
