**3.1. Real-time PCR analysis of known miRNAs**

Real-time PCR was performed on an ABI7300 (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA) using various mirVana qRTPCR primer sets (Ambion, Austin, TX, USA) and a SYBR ExScript RT-PCR kit (Takara Bio), or with TaqMan miRNAs assays (Applied Biosystems), a High capacity cDNA archive kit (Applied Biosystems), and Absolute QPCR ROX mix (Abgene, Rochester, NY, USA), according to the manufacturers' instructions. As an endogenous control, 5SrRNA or U6 snRNA was used.
