منصوره عجمی - Dept of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
امیر آتشی - Dept of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
مسعود سلیمانی - Dept of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
منیره عجمی - Dept of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
سعید کاویانی - Dept of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

Background and Objective: Aging like many complex traits is the result of interaction between genome and environmental factors and epigenetic mechanisms as a central connector links these two markers. So far, investigations on age-related characteristics and biomarkers predicting survival and risk of death have been carried out, none of which led to an overall consensus among the researchers. Identical twins are good models to study epigenetic changes associated with senescence. MicroRNAs are small non-coding regulatory RNA molecules known as one of the epigenetic mechanisms involved in the aging process. The aim of this study was to compare some of miRNAs expression associated with aging in pairs of identical twins. Materials and Methods: In this study, variations in expression of miR-۱۰۶a, miR-۲۴ and miR-۱۰۷ whose target genes are associated with cell cycle regulation, in six pairs of identical twins within two age ranges of ۱۵ - ۱۷ and ۴۵ - ۵۰ years old were studied using qRT-PCR technique. Results: There was a significant difference in expressions of miR-۲۴, miR-۱۰۶a and miR-۱۰۷ (Fold change= ۲۲ and ۳۷) between two age ranges. Also, the level of discordance in expression of all three miRNAs between twins increased with aging (Fold change= ۴۰۱ and ۷۳۳). Conclusion: Increase in the expression of miR-۱۰۶a, miR-۲۴ and miR-۱۰۷ may be considered as a marker of aging. A trend rising differences in expression levels related to aging may confirm the environmental effects on the identical twins.

Keywords: Twins, Epigenetic, miRNA, Ageing