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MicroRNAs as biomarkers in rheumatic diseases

Nature Reviews Rheumatology volume 6, pages 391–398 (2010)Cite this article

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Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, noncoding, single-stranded RNAs of 19–25 nucleotides in length. They regulate gene expression and are important in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes. MiRNAs are attractive as potential biomarkers because their expression pattern is reflective of underlying pathophysiologic processes and they are specific to various disease states. Moreover, miRNAs can be detected in a variety of sources, including tissue, blood and body fluids; they are reasonably stable and appear to be resistant to differences in sample handling, which increases their appeal as practical biomarkers. The clinical utility of miRNAs as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers has been demonstrated in various malignancies and a few nonmalignant diseases. There is accumulating evidence that miRNAs have an important role in systemic rheumatic diseases and that various diseases or different stages of the same disease are associated with distinct miRNA expression profiles. Preliminary data suggest that miRNAs are promising as candidate biomarkers of diagnosis, prognosis, disease activity and severity in autoimmune diseases. MiRNAs identified as potential biomarkers in pilot studies should be validated in larger studies designed specifically for biomarker validation.

Key Points

  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory RNAs that have a central role in the regulation of gene expression

  • MiRNAs possess many features of an ideal biomarker: they reflect the physiological or pathological state of cells and tissues, are relatively stable, and can be detected by various methods

  • MiRNAs have been validated as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in malignant diseases

  • Early studies have linked aberrant miRNA expression to specific rheumatic diseases but, as yet, no miRNA has been validated as a biomarker in these diseases

  • Studies designed specifically to validate miRNAs as biomarkers are needed to assess their potential in rheumatic diseases

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Figure 1: Biogenesis of mammalian microRNAs.
Figure 2: MicroRNA biomarkers in rheumatic diseases.

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  1. Sjögren's Syndrome Clinic, Molecular Physiology & Therapeutics Branch, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, 1N110, Bethesda, 20892, MD, USA

    Ilias Alevizos & Gabor G. Illei

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Alevizos, I., Illei, G. MicroRNAs as biomarkers in rheumatic diseases. Nat Rev Rheumatol 6, 391–398 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2010.81

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