Abstract
MicroRNA can be found in various body fluids, including breast milk. MicroRNA may be transferred from mother to infant via breast milk and potentially regulate the development of the infant's immune system on a post-transcriptional level. This study aimed to determine the microRNA extraction efficiency of five RNA extraction kits from human skim milk samples. Their efficiency was determined by comparing microRNA concentrations, total RNA yield and purity. Furthermore, hsa-miR-148a-3p expression and the recovery of an exogenous control, cel-miR-39-3p, were quantified using qPCR. Each kit extracted different amounts of microRNA and total RNA, with one kit tending to isolate the highest amount of both RNA species. Based on these results, the extraction kit ReliaPrep™ miRNA Cell and Tissue Miniprep System from Promega was found to be the most appropriate kit for microRNA extraction from human skim milk. Moreover, further research is needed to establish a standardized protocol for microRNA extraction from breast milk.