Identification of differentially expressed microRNAs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of topsoil-exposed piglets

An abstract of a study by Sales et al determining if exposure to topsoil would alter miRNA abundance is presented. The miRNA include miR-29, which regulates innate and adaptive immune responses to intracellular bacterial infection; miR-31, which regulates gut development and homeostasis; and other miRNA involved in tumor suppression, apoptosis, T-cell function, lipid metabolism, and growth and lipid deposition. Additional research is needed to investigate the potential that these miRNA have to reprogram the epigenome of young piglets to enhance growth performance beyond the period of environmental exposure.