MicroRNA array analysis of Pbx1-deficient and control murine HSCs and Flk2neg MPPs

The balance of self-renewal and differentiation is crucial to ensure the homeostasis of the hematopoietic system, and is a key hallmark of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs); however, the underlying molecular pathways are not completely understood, including the role of micro-RNAs. To assess micro-RNA contributions, we performed micro-RNA profiling of HSCs and their immediate downstream progeny multi-potent progenitors (MPPs) from wild type control and Pbx1-conditional knockout mice, whose HSCs display a profound self-renewal defect. RNA was extracted HSCs and Flk2-MPPs sorted from the BM of Polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid [poly(I:C)]-treated Mx1Cre+Pbx1f/f and Mx1Cre-Pbx1f/f control mice (four experimental groups, 4-5 samples from individual mice/group). miRNA profiling was performed using the Megaplex TaqMan Assay system coupled with PreAmplification step, Rodent Pool A. The expression level of 376 miRNAs plus 8 controls was obtained.