Data on the effect of heat and other technical variables on the detection of microRNAs in human serum.

Data are presented on the number and levels of 384 microRNAs (miRNAs) quantified by reverse-transcription real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in human serum analyzed under different experimental conditions. The technical variables tested were 1) heating of the serum samples at 60 °C for 120 minutes prior to RNA extraction versus no heating; 2) RNA extraction using an Exiqon miRCURY RNA Isolation kit for Biofluids versus a Systems Biosciences SeraMir Exosome RNA Purification kit; 3) miRNA quantitation by RT-qPCR using an Exiqon SYBR Green Human Panel I versus an Applied Biosystems TaqMan Human microRNA Array A.