Circulating microRNAs as biomarkers in pediatric heart diseases

The discovery of non-coding RNAs, and the understanding of their functional relevance has revolutionized our comprehension of processes involved in gene regulation. microRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) are small non-coding RNAs that can regulate gene expression by targeting messenger RNAs (mRNAs) to degradation or translation suppression. Functionally, miRNAs are important in several disease processes, including cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, miRNAs can be present in the circulation, and are protected from degradation through interactions with proteins or encapsulation in circulating microvesicles.
Source: Progress in Pediatric Cardiology - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research