MicroRNA editing in CLL

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a high incident B cell leukemia with a highly variable clinical course, leading to survival times ranging from months to several decades. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate expression levels of genes by binding to untranslated regions of transcripts. Although miRNAs have been previously shown to play a crucial role in CLL development, progression and treatment resistance, their further processing and diversification by RNA editing (specific adenosine to inosine deamination) has not been addressed so far. In this study, we analyzed next generation sequencing data to provide a detailed map of adenosine to inosine changes in miRNAs from CLL and normal B cells. Our results reveal that in addition to a CLL specific expression pattern, there is also specific miRNA editing of in CLL. Our data draw further light on how miRNAs and miRNA adenosine to inosine editing might be implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease.