Background: 7,12-Dimethylbenz(α)anthracene (DMBA) is a carcinogen capable of inducing various types of tumors.
Materials and methods: We investigated the effect of DMBA on micro-RNA expression in CBA/CA H2(k) inbred mice after 24 hours and one week from exposure.
Results: Expression levels of miR-21, miR-146a and let-7a were significantly higher in the vital organs of the mice 24 hours after DMBA exposure compared to those of the controls. On the other hand, a significant down-regulation of the miRNAs was observed seven days after DMBA administration.
Conclusion: Based on our data, DMBA has an impact on the expression of miR-21, let-7a and miR-146a genes. The altered micro-RNA expression can be regarded as an early effect of exposure to chemical carcinogens. To our knowledge, this is the first study of miRNA modulation caused by DMBA in non-malignant tissues.