Dynamic Change and Target Prediction of Axon-Specific MicroRNAs in Regenerating Sciatic Nerve

Injury to axons in the peripheral nervous system induces rapid and local regenerative responses to form a new growth cone, and to generate a retrogradely transporting injury signal. The evidence for essential roles of intra-axonal protein synthesis during regeneration is now compelling. MicroRNA (miRNA) has recently been recognized as a prominent player in post-transcriptional regulation of axonal protein synthesis. Here, we directly contrast temporal changes of miRNA levels in the sciatic nerve following injury, as compared to those in an uninjured nerve using deep sequencing. Small RNAs (