| Send E-mail to: sying@usc.edu | |
| Telephone: 323-442-1859 | Fax: 323-442-3158 |
| Office: BMT 303 | Mail Code: 9112 HSC |
Education:
BS 1962 Zoology - National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
PhD 1970 Endocrinology/Reprod. Physiology - University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship:
1971 Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
Started at USC: 1989
Research Topics: Cancer Cell Biology
Research Description
Differentially expressed genes in prostate cancer and modulation of gene function by intronic microRNA (miRNA)
Our lab’s research has focused on differentially expressed genes in prostate cancer and RNAi-mediated gene expression. We have made advances on four fronts. First, by studying gene profiling in cell-specific, full-length cDNA libraries from prostate cells of various stages by laser capture microdissection, we identified differentially expressed genes as determined by microarray technologies, subtractive hybridization, and Northern blot analyses. Second, we obtained evidence to implicate overexpresseion of several genes in prostate cancer, particularly in androgen-independent prostate cancer. Third, we have demonstrated that the genes identified with the prostatic cancer cell-specific, full-length cDNA libraries using subtractive hybridization and microarray technology reveal intracellular molecular genetic heterogeneity in prostate cancer. Fourth, to elucidate the physiological significance of the identified overexpressed genes, we have developed a cell-specific, polymerase Type II (Pol II)-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) cassette system, using microRNA (miRNA).
About 97% of the human genome is the non-coding DNA; some are microRNAs responsible for RNA-mediated gene silencing through RNA interference (RNAi)-like pathways. We are interested in miRNA because it is a small single-stranded regulatory RNA capable of interfering with intracellular mRNAs. We have focused on the intronic miRNA, which requires type II RNA polymerases (Pol-II) and spliceosomal components for its biogenesis. We are able to induce RNA interference, using the intronic miRNA, in human and murine cells, zebrafish, chicken embryos and adult mice. Our research aims at providing a unique animal model for functional genes related to human diseases and disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington disease, cancer, inflammation, and substance/drug abuse in vivo.
Legend to figure: Mechanism of intronic miRNA biogenesis and gene silencing. The intronic miRNA is generated as parts of precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA), which contains protein-coding exons and non-coding introns. The introns are spliced out of the pre-mRNA and further excised into small miRNA molecules which are capable of inducing RNA interference (RNAi), while the exons are ligated to form a mature mRNA for protein translation.
10 Selected Publications:
Click here to view all the publications for this faculty
Ying SY,Lin SL - Intron-mediated RNA interference and microRNA biogenesis. - Methods Mol Biol [2009] ;487():387-413 PubMed
Lin SL,Chang DC,Chang-Lin S,Lin CH,Wu DT,Chen DT,Ying SY - Mir-302 reprograms human skin cancer cells into a pluripotent ES-cell-like state. - RNA [2008] Oct;14(10):2115-24 PubMed
Lin SL,Chiang A,Chang D,Ying SY - Loss of mir-146a function in hormone-refractory prostate cancer. - RNA [2008] Mar;14(3):417-24 PubMed
Lin SL,Chang D,Chiang A,Ying SY - Androgen receptor regulates CD168 expression and signaling in prostate cancer. - Carcinogenesis [2008] Feb;29(2):282-90 PubMed
Ying SY,Chang DC,Lin SL - The microRNA (miRNA): overview of the RNA genes that modulate gene function. - Mol Biotechnol [2008] Mar;38(3):257-68 PubMed
Lin SL,Kim H,Ying SY - Intron-mediated RNA interference and microRNA (miRNA). - Front Biosci [2008] Jan 1;13():2216-30 PubMed
Lin SL,Miller JD,Ying SY - Intronic MicroRNA (miRNA). - J Biomed Biotechnol [2006] ;2006(4):26818 PubMed
Ying SY,Chang DC,Miller JD,Lin SL - MicroRNA protocols. Perspectives. - Methods Mol Biol [2006] ;342():351-8 PubMed
Lin SL,Chang SJ,Ying SY - Transgene-like animal models using intronic microRNAs. - Methods Mol Biol [2006] ;342():321-34 PubMed
Lin SL,Chang DC,Ying SY - Isolation and identification of gene-specific microRNAs. - Methods Mol Biol [2006] ;342():313-20 PubMed
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