BACKGROUND:MicroRNAs are a class of non-coding single-stranded smal RNA molecules containing 18–25 nucleotides that can bind to the 3’UTR of the mRNA molecules and regulate the protein expression of target genes. Studies have shown that microRNAs could regulate Schwann cel differentiation, myelination maturation and growth of the peripheral nerve. OBJECTIVE: To observe the expression of miR-21 during the differentiation of neural crest stem cels from human folicle into Schwann cels. METHODS: Hair folicle stem cels were cultured and neural crest stem cels were separated from human hair folicles by flow cytometry. Then, the neural crest stem cels were induced to differentiate into Schwann cels. qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-21 in the process of induction. Neural crest stem cels from hair folicles were divided into control group, agomir-21 group, agomir-NC group, antagomir-21 group and antagomir-NC group. The control group was without intervention. Agomir-21 group was transfected with miR-21 agonist, whereas Antagomir-21 group was transfected with miR-21 antagonist. agomir-NC group and antagomir-NC group were respectively negative controls of agomir-21 group and antagomir-21 group. Finaly, the possible target of miR-21 was searched in database. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Neural crest stem cels were successfuly separated from human hair folicles using flow cytometry and induced to differentiate into Schwann cels. In the process of cel differentiation, miR-21 expression was upregulated gradualy. Transfection of miR-21 agonist could enhance the stem cel differentiation into Schwann cels, whereas transfection of miR-21 antagonist could weaken the differentiation capacity of stem cels. Furthermore, we found via database searching that SOX2 maybe a target of miR-21 and participate in the regulatory role of miR-21. This study suggested that hair folicle neural crest stem cels can be used as an important source of Schwann cels and miR-21 can promote the differentiation.%背景：miRNAs是一类长18-25个碱基的非编码单链小RNA分子，可以与mRNA分子的3’UTR上序列互补结合而调节目标基因的蛋白表达水平。大量证据表明，miRNAs 可能起到调节许旺细胞分化、髓鞘形成以及周围神经生长和发育的作用。 目的：观察miR-21在毛囊神经嵴干细胞分化为许旺细胞过程中的表达。 方法：培养毛囊干细胞，通过流式分选法从人毛囊中分离神经嵴干细胞，并定向诱导为许旺细胞，在诱导过程中采用qRT-PCR检测miR-21的表达水平。将毛囊神经嵴干细胞分为对照组、agomir-21组、agomir-NC组、antagomir-21组和antagomir-NC组。对照组无干预，agomir-21组加入miR-21的激动剂，antagomir-21组加入miR-21的抑制剂，agomir-NC组和antagomir-NC组分别为agomir-21和antagomir-21的阴性对照组，加入无活性的microRNA类似物。最后，通过数据库寻找miR-21可能的作用靶标。 结果与结论：在毛囊神经嵴干细胞诱导分化为许旺细胞过程中，miR-21表达水平逐渐升高。转染miR-21激动剂agomir-21后，干细胞分化为许旺细胞的能力增强，而转染miR-21抑制剂antagomir-21后可削弱干细胞的分化能力。通过数据库检索发现，SOX2可能是miR-21重要靶基因并参与其调节干细胞分化的作用。结果提示，毛囊神经嵴干细胞可作为许旺细胞的一个重要来源，miR-21可促进此分化过程。
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