microRNAs in Cardiovascular Diseases

Abstract

Over the last few years, the field of microribonucleic acid (miRNA) in cardiovascular biology and disease has expanded at an incredible pace. miRNAs are themselves part of a larger family, that of non-coding RNAs, the importance of which for biological processes is starting to emerge. miRNAs are ~22-nucleotide-long RNA sequences that can legate messenger (m)RNAs at partially complementary binding sites, and hence regulate the rate of protein synthesis by altering the stability of the targeted mRNAs. In the cardiovascular system, miRNAs have been shown to be critical regulators of development and physiology. They control basic functions in virtually all cell types relevant to the cardiovascular system (such as endothelial cells, cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, inflammatory cells, and fibroblasts) and, thus, are directly involved in the pathophysiology of many cardiovascular diseases. As a result of their role in disease, they are being studied for exploitation in diagnostics, prognostics, and therapeutics. However, there are still significant obstacles that need to be overcome before they enter the clinical arena. We present here a review of the literature and outline the directions toward their use in the clinic.

Novel Risk Markers and Risk Assessments for Cardiovascular Disease

“…60 Most miRNAs are located intracellularly while platelets and platelet microparticles are an abundant circulating source.…”

“…miRNAs are short noncoding RNAs that have a major role in pathophysiological stress responses and mediate many cellular processes by regulating gene expression. 60 miRNAs interact with specific mRNA to regulate their translation, largely by suppression of protein synthesis. 60 Most miRNAs are located intracellularly while platelets and platelet microparticles are an abundant circulating source.…”

“…60 miRNAs interact with specific mRNA to regulate their translation, largely by suppression of protein synthesis. 60 Most miRNAs are located intracellularly while platelets and platelet microparticles are an abundant circulating source. 61 miRNAs regulate a diverse range of processes in cardiovascular disease, including myocardial remodeling and fibrosis, vascular inflammation, lipid processing, and electric remodeling (Table 5).…”

Role of intracellular Ca2+ overload in inducing changes in cardiac gene expression

“…Although the exact mechanisms by which intracellular Ca 2+ overload induces changes in cardiac gene expression and subsequent subcellular remodelling are not clear at present, a marked increase in the production of different cytokines including tumour necrosis factor and the activation of nuclear factor-kB have been observed in the CP heart (24,39). Furthermore, the role of various microRNAs and other transcription factors, which are known to regulate cardiac gene expression (40), needs to be investigated in hearts on inducing intracellular Ca 2+ overload. Nonetheless, the experiments performed in the present study provide compelling evidence that intracellular Ca 2+ overload is a potential mediator of inducing defects in gene expression and subsequent subcellular remodelling and cardiac dysfunction.…”

MicroRNAs in veterinary cardiology

“…Several cardiac biomarkers have already been shown to be useful in the evaluation of a variety of diseases (BOSWOOD, 2009) and, similarly, the evaluation of microRNA expression in heart diseases may well provide a noninvasive technique for gathering information to aid diagnosis and prognosis which could lead to the development of new therapeutic protocols. In cardiology, microRNA expression has an important role in the development of heart failure and cardiac remodeling (CONDORELLI et al, 2014). Congestive heart failure (CHF) triggers a series of changes in the expression of various microRNAs, such as miR-1, miR-21, miR-23, miR-133, miR-199, miR-208 and miR-320, but the complexity of the expression system makes understanding the action of individual microRNAs a great challenge (TOPKARA & MANN, 2011).…”