Scientists Discover New Role For MiRNA In Leukemia

Scientists here have found that mini-molecules called micro-RNA may play a critical role in the progression of chronic myeloid leukemia from its more treatable chronic phase to a life-threatening phase, called blast crisis. Furthermore, they discovered an entirely new function for these molecules. The researchers show that microRNAs can sometimes directly control a protein's function -- not just whether or not the protein is made by the cell, as has been believed.