During the past decade it has become evident that microRNAs regulate gene expressions and control many developmental and cellular processes in eukaryotic organisms. Recent studies suggest that microRNAs play an important role in toxicogenomics and are likely to play an important role in a range of human diseases including cancer. microRNAs in Toxicology and Medicine is a comprehensive and authoritative compilation of up-to-date developments in this emerging research area, presented by internationally recognized investigators. It focuses on the role of microRNA in biology and medicine with a special emphasis on toxicology. Divided into six parts, topics covered include: microRNA and toxicology – including environmental toxicants and perturbation of miRNA signaling; microRNA, and Disease States featuring microRNAs in drug-induced liver toxicity, microRNAs and Inflammation the regulatory role of microRNA in mutagenesis, microRNAs and cancer, and the role of microRNAs in tumor progression and therapy, as well as current understanding of microRNAs as therapeutic targets in cancer microRNAs and disease states microRNAs and stem cells microRNAs and genomics microRNAs and epigenomics microRNAs and biomarkers – including body fluid microRNAs as toxicological biomarkers, cell-free microRNAs as biomarkers in human diseases, and circulating microRNAs as biomarkers of drug-induced pancreatitis microRNAs in Toxicology and Medicine is an essential insight into the current trends and future directions of research in this rapidly expanding field for investigators, toxicologists, risk assessors, and regulators in academia, medical settings, industry, and government.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), endogenous noncoding regulatory mRNAs of around 22-nucleotides long, have rapidly emerged as one of the key governors of the gene expression regulatory program in cells of varying species, with ever-increasing implications in the control of the fundamental biological processes and in the pathogenesis of adult humans. The exciting findings in this field have inspired us with a premise and a promise that miRNAs will ultimately be taken to the heart for therapy of human disease. While miRNAs have been considered potential therapeutic targets for disease treatment, it remains obscured what strategies we can use to achieve the goal. In the past years, we have witnessed a rapid evolving of many creative, innovative, inventive strategies and methodologies pertinent to miRNA research and applications. These technologies have convincingly demonstrated their efficacy and reliability in producing gain-of-function or loss-of-function of miRNAs through targeting miRNA expression/biogenesis/function, providing new tools for elucidating miRNA functions and opening up a new avenue for the development of new agents targeting miRNAs for therapeutic aims. The present book provides comprehensive descriptions of these technologies and their applications to miRNA research and to new drug design for miRNA-related diseases. It starts with an overview of up-to-date knowledge of miRNA biology and the potential of miRNAs as therapeutic targets for human disease, followed by an introduction of the new concept of miRNA interference (miRNAi) and the perspectives of miRNAi technologies in general terms. In the following, each chapter introduces one of the miRNAi technologies with detailed descriptions of state-of-the-art design, procedures, principles and applications to basic research, R and D and clinical therapy.

Genomic and Epigenomic Biomarkers of Toxicology and Disease The latest developments in biomarker research applicable to toxicology and medicine Research on genomic and epigenomic biomarkers is developing rapidly with cutting-edge studies scattered throughout the academic literature, making the status of ongoing scientific activity in this area difficult to ascertain. Genomic and Epigenomic Biomarkers of Toxicology and Disease: Clinical and Therapeutic Actions delivers a comprehensive and authoritative compilation of up-to-date developments in the application of genomic and epigenomic biomarkers to toxicology, disease prevention, cancer detection, therapeutics, gene therapy, and other areas. With contributions from a collection of internationally recognized investigators, this edited volume offers unique insights into current trends and future directions of research in the discussed areas. Combining state-of-the-art information on genomic and epigenomic biomarkers from a range of specialists from around the world, this monograph includes: A thorough introduction to microRNAs as non-invasive biomarkers of toxicity and chemical hazard Comprehensive explorations of extracellular vesicle-associated miRNAs as toxic biomarkers, as well as transcriptomic applications in toxicology and medicine Practical discussions of circulating miRNAs as biomarkers of metal exposure, as well as microRNAs biomarkers of malignant mesothelioma In-depth examinations of the role of noncoding RNAs in innate immune responses perturbed by environmental arsenic with a focus on microRNAs Perfect for researchers, toxicologists, risk assessors, and regulators, Genomic and Epigenomic Biomarkers of Toxicology and Disease: Clinical and Therapeutic Actions will also earn a place in the libraries of graduate students with an interest in biomarkers, toxicology, agriculture, or the environment.

From pathology to treatment, MicroRNAs in Diseases and Disorders highlights the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the development and progression of a variety of diseases, including cancer, neurological disease, endocrine disease and autoimmune disease, and underscores the utilization of miRNA targets in the treatment of these conditions. Providing a comprehensive account, this book also includes the identification of miRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for disease, as well as evaluates translational value from clinical trials using synthesized and functionalized miRNA mimics and inhibitors. With a global contribution list and chapters from leading experts across the field, MicroRNAs in Diseases and Disorders is an invaluable reference to miRNA researchers and health professionals in a variety of disease areas in government, academia and industry. The book will also appeal to pharmaceutical and medicinal chemists with an interest in miRNA targeting therapeutics, as well as to advanced students in chemical biology and drug discovery.

This volume discusses the latest advancements and technologies used in cancer drug resistance research. Cancer Drug Resistance: Overviews and Methods contains chapters that cover topics such as: studying the mechanics of resistance to DNA damaging therapeutic drugs; studies to delineate the role of efflux transporters; expression of drug transporters; resistance to targeted therapies in breast cancer; the role of microRNAs in current pancreatic cancer treatment; and cancer exosomes as mediators of drug resistance or clinical and molecular methods in drug development and the use of bioinformatics in the management of cancer drug resistance data. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include overviews of the main issues in cancer drug resistance and the respective mechanisms, as well as introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Cancer Drug Resistance: Overviews and Methods, is a valuable resource to researchers, oncobiologists and clinical oncologists or anyone else who is interested in the study of cancer and its drug resistances.

Now in a revised second edition, Nutrigenomics and Proteomics in Health and Disease brings together the very latest science based upon nutrigenomics and proteomics in food and health. Coverage includes many important nutraceuticals and their impact on gene interaction and health. Authored by an international team of multidisciplinary researchers, this book acquaints food and nutrition professionals with these new fields of nutrition research and conveys the state of the science to date. Thoroughly updated to reflect the most current developments in the field, the second edition includes six new chapters covering gut health and the personal microbiome; gut microbe-derived bioactive metabolites; proteomics and peptidomics in nutrition; gene selection for nutrigenomic studies; gene-nutrient network analysis, and nutrigenomics to nutritional systems biology. An additional five chapters have also been significantly remodelled. The new text includes a rethinking of in vitro and in vivo models with regard to their translatability into human phenotypes, and normative science methods and approaches have been complemented by more comprehensive systems biology-based investigations, deploying a multitude of omic platforms in an integrated fashion. Innovative tools and methods for statistical treatment and biological network analysis are also now included.

MicroRNA (miRNA) is a cutting-edge topic in the scientific and medical fields. This is a timely and specialized book focusing on the current understanding of miRNAs and the potential for their application in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic targets. It also provides discussion of the lessons learned from translational miRNA studies and exploration of the next steps required to advance this field. The unique book comprises 22 in-depth chapters by gathering unparalleled topics of interest in miRNAs by international team of world-renowned experts in the field. The first fifteen chapters provide comprehensive and expert perspectives on the most common cancers from bench to bedside applications, there is no current book structured in this cancer-oriented way. The next seven chapters providing thorough overviews of miRNAs and cancer stem cells; miRNAs in cancer invasion and metastasis; miRNAs in predicting radiotherapy and chemotherapy response; as well as expounding the role of miRNA in anti-cancer drug resistance and as blood-based cancer biomarkers. Furthermore, this book explicates the interplay of miRNAs in cancer metabolism and an update on the pioneering RNAi-based treatment approaches is also presented. This specialized book will contribute great to the scientific and medical community by providing the up-to-date discoveries of miRNAs and their important roles in cancer translational research.

As a guide for pharmaceutical professionals to the issues and practices of drug discovery toxicology, this book integrates and reviews the strategy and application of tools and methods at each step of the drug discovery process. • Guides researchers as to what drug safety experiments are both practical and useful • Covers a variety of key topics – safety lead optimization, in vitro-in vivo translation, organ toxicology, ADME, animal models, biomarkers, and –omics tools • Describes what experiments are possible and useful and offers a view into the future, indicating key areas to watch for new predictive methods • Features contributions from firsthand industry experience, giving readers insight into the strategy and execution of predictive toxicology practices

In recent years, the critical role of microRNAs has been revealed within the biology of cells that constitute the immune system. In MicroRNAs and the Immune System: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers explore the latest techniques for studying miRNA expression, including the most up-to-date data on splinted ligation and qRT-PCR assays, as well as high-throughput profiling through cloning, deep sequencing, and microarrays. Chapters outline methods to study miRNA functions in various cell types from a single cell type level to entire model organisms, and present studies of miRNAs in the context of viruses and the immune response. Tools are also provided to help navigate bioinformatics databases on miRNAs and their targets. Composed in the highly successful Methods in Molecular BiologyTM series format, each chapter contains a brief introduction, step-by-step methods, a list of necessary materials, and a Notes section which shares tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Contemporary and innovative, MicroRNAs and the Immune System: Methods and Protocols is an essential handbook for immunologists, biochemists, and molecular biologists.