MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of endogenous, small (approximately 22 nucleotides in length), noncoding, functional RNAs. With the development of molecular biology, the research of miRNA bio-logical function has attracted significant interest, as abnormal miRNA expression is identified to contribute to serious human diseases such as cancers. Traditional methods for miRNA detection do not meet current demands. In particular, nanomaterial-based methods, nucleic acid amplification-based methods such as rolling circle amplification (RCA), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), strand-displacement amplification (SDA) and some enzyme-free amplifications have been employed widely for the highly sensitive detection of miRNA. MiRNA functional research and clinical diagnostics have been accelerated by these new techniques. Herein, we summarize and discuss the recent progress in the development of miRNA detection methods and new applications. This review will provide guidelines for the development of follow-up miRNA detection methods with high sensitivity and spec-ificity, and applicability to disease diagnosis and therapy.

Objective To investigate the promotion effect of Danhong injection (DH) on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in Schwann cells (SCs) of SD rats.Methods In experiment of SCs apoptosis induced by advanced glycation end products (AGEs),SCs were divided into control group,AGEs treatment group and DH+AGEs treatment group; 48 h after each treatment,the SCs count was compared.In experiment of DH affecting mRNA and protein BDNF expressions in SCs,real time-PCR and Western blotting were used.In the experiment of DH combined with different inhibitors (Calphostin C,LY294002,H89,U0126,FR180204 and SB203580) affecting mRNA BDNF expression in SCs,real time-PCR was used.Results The number of SCs in AGEs treatment group was significantly decreased than that in the control group,but that in DH+AGEs treatment group was statistically increased than that in AGEs group (P＜0.05).The mRNA and protein expressions of BDNF in the DH treatment group were significantly increased than those in the control group (P＜0.05).As compared with DH group,DH+Calphostin C treatment group had significantly decreased BDNF mRNA expression (P＜0.05); BDNF mRNA expression in the DH+U0126,DH+FR180204 and DH+SB203580 treatment groups was significantly decreased as compared with that in the DH treatment group (P＜0.05).Conclusions DH could effectively inhibit SCs apoptosis induced by AGEs and significantly promote BDNF expression;protein kinase C (Calphostin C) and mehtyl ethyl ketone (U0126)/extracellular regulated protein kinases (FR180204EK)/p38 (SB203580) may be the important signaling transconduction pathways for BDNF expression.