Non-Coding RNAs as Blood-Based Biomarkers in Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

In 2020, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain a leading cause of mortality and morbidity, contributing to the burden of the already overloaded health system. Late or incorrect diagnosis of patients with CVDs compromises treatment efficiency and patient’s outcome. Diagnosis of CVDs could be facilitated by detection of blood-based biomarkers that reliably reflect the current condition of the heart. In the last decade, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) present on human biofluids including serum, plasma, and blood have been reported as potential biomarkers for CVDs. This paper reviews recent studies that focus on the use of ncRNAs as biomarkers of CVDs.

Circulating Non-Coding RNAs as Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

“…Circulating ncRNAs are stably maintained in diverse biological fluids including cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral serum/plasma due to their protection in exosomes, microvesicles, apoptotic bodies, and protein complexes. 17 In terms of circRNAs, they have excellent stability owning to the covalently closed RNA circle without 5ʹ end caps or 3ʹ poly tails. 18 Circulating ncRNAs can be quantified, even at low amounts, by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) with high sensitivity, specificity, and high dynamic range, a technique readily available in clinical laboratories.…”

“…Circulating ncRNAs are stably maintained in diverse biological fluids including cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral serum/plasma due to their protection in exosomes, microvesicles, apoptotic bodies, and protein complexes. 17 In terms of circRNAs, they have excellent stability owning to the covalently closed RNA circle without 5ʹ end caps or 3ʹ poly tails. 18 …”

Adipose‐related microRNAs as modulators of the cardiovascular system: the role of epicardial adipose tissue

“…In the past few years, circulating miRs have been considered as biomarkers for several diseases, including CMDs, as recently reviewed by Videira and colleagues (2020). However, a specific miR could be secreted from more than one type of cell and more importantly may result in a different output regarding the target tissue or the phase of disease progression.…”

Microproteins in skeletal muscle: hidden keys in muscle physiology

“…[26][27][28][29][30] Moreover, lncRNAs have seen clinical use as potential biomarkers for different types of diagnostics due to their tissue/conditionspecific expression. [31][32][33][34] Although skeletal muscle is a complex tissue, several muscle-specific lncRNAs appear to regulate muscle development, normal physiology, and diseased states (e.g. cachexia, muscle atrophy, and wasting, and sarcopenia).…”

“…lncRNAs are involved in a plethora of molecular and cellular processes, including chromatin regulation, transcriptional and post‐transcriptional regulation, splicing, nuclear organization, telomere length, X chromosome inactivation, competing and endogenous RNA (ceRNA), as well as cellular processes such as cell maintenance, development, differentiation, pluripotency, immune response, and cancer 26–30 . Moreover, lncRNAs have seen clinical use as potential biomarkers for different types of diagnostics due to their tissue/condition‐specific expression 31–34 . Although skeletal muscle is a complex tissue, several muscle‐specific lncRNAs appear to regulate muscle development, normal physiology, and diseased states (e.g.…”