Diagnostic Potential of Extracellular MicroRNA in Respiratory Diseases

Abstract

Lack of markers of subclinical disease state and clinical phenotype other than pulmonary function test has made the diagnosis and interventions of environmental respiratory diseases a major challenge. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding single stranded RNAs, have emerged as potential disease-modifier in various environmental respiratory diseases. They can also be found in various body fluids and are remarkably stable. Because of their high stability, disease-specific expression, and the ease to detect and quantify them have raised the potential of miRNAs in body fluids to be useful clinical diagnostic biomarkers for lung disease phenotyping. In the present review, we provide a comprehensive overview of progress made in identifying miRNAs in various body fluids including blood, serum, plasma, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, and sputum as biomarkers for a wide range of human respiratory diseases such as acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma. Finally, we discuss several challenges remain to be concerned and suggest few disease-specific and non-specific miRNAs to become part of future clinical practice.

Circulating microRNA biomarkers for lung cancer detection in Western populations

“…In addition, studies showed that also other population characteristics such as age, weight, smoking status, and ethnicity can affect the identification of miRNA markers . Even other benign diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and tuberculosis can alter blood miRNA profiles and make some study participants unsuitable controls . Therefore, in this systematic review, we selected Western populations and excluded studies with disease controls to reduce the heterogeneity of included miRNAs caused by above‐mentioned factors.…”

“…12,[34][35][36] Even other benign diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and tuberculosis can alter blood miRNA profiles and make some study participants unsuitable controls. [37][38][39] Therefore, in this systematic review, we selected Western populations and excluded studies with disease controls to reduce the heterogeneity of included miRNAs caused by above-mentioned factors.…”

Postinfectious Bronchiolitis Obliterans in Children: Diagnostic Workup and Therapeutic Options: A Workshop Report

“…miRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that control gene expression posttranscriptionally by inhibiting translation, and thus, they play a central role in the epigenetic modification of gene expression. In addition, their promising potential as biomarkers and basis for the development of new classes of therapeutic compounds has been described recently [103,104].…”

The role of microvesicles containing microRNAs in vascular endothelial dysfunction

“…On the one hand, extracellular miRNAs hold great potential to act as disease biomarkers due to their non‐invasive accessibility and remarkable stability . A great number of studies have shown that miRNAs are differently enriched in MVs, and their expression patterns also change with respect to different diseases . Therefore, MVs and associated miRNAs are considered to be potential diagnostic biomarkers of diseases .…”

“…60,77,129 A great number of studies have shown that miRNAs are differently enriched in MVs, and their expression patterns also change with respect to different diseases. 130 Therefore, MVs and associated miRNAs are considered to be potential diagnostic biomarkers of diseases. [131][132][133] For instance, in a prospective study, in 176 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD), Jansen F at al.…”