[Screening of microRNAs targeting Notch signaling pathway implicated in inner ear development and the role of microRNA-384-5p].

To screen the key microRNAs targeting Notch signaling pathway in inner ear and investigate its potential regulating function. The interaction network and the Core-Notch network, involved with key genes in Notch signal pathway and differential-expressed microRNAs in inner ear, were constructed by bioinformatics methods. The important microRNAs in regulating Notch signaling pathway were screened via topological and GO analysis, followed by and investigation. MiRNA-384-5p was identified as a key regulator specifically expressed in mouse brain and inner ear, which could down-regulate . The expression was found significantly down-regulated in miRNA-384-5p-mimic-transfected HeLa cells. The dual-luciferase reporter gene assay further confirmed the effect of miRNA-384-5p on the down-regulation of and in Notch signaling pathway. The Core-Notch network is constructed to screen microRNAs implicated in inner ear development, and miRNA-384-5p is screened and verified to be target-regulating the Notch signaling pathway, which could be the potential target in the regeneration of impaired hair cells.