MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate diverse biological processes. We cloned novel small RNA from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and termed microRNA-5787 (hsa-miR-5787) that met the criteria for a miRNA. The level of miR-5787 was elevated in senescent fibroblasts. Based on the target prediction algorithm and results that were obtained, we find that eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5 (eIF5) is a target of miR-5787. Similar to the over-expression of miR-5787, we showed that repression of eIF5 in fibroblasts negatively affected cell growth. Therefore, we propose that the miR-5787 represses cell growth, in part, by targeting eIF5. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.