Sun Bryan K, Tsao Hensin
Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008 Nov;59(5):725-37; quiz 738-40. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2008.08.017.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are classes of regulatory small RNA molecules, ranging from 18 to 24 nucleotides in length, whose roles in development and disease are becoming increasingly recognized. They function by altering the stability or translational efficiency of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) with which they share sequence complementarity, and are predicted to affect up to one-third of all human genes. Computer algorithms and microarray data estimate the presence of nearly 1000 human miRNAs, and direct examination of candidate miRNAs has validated their involvement in various cancers, disorders of neuronal development, cardiac hypertrophy, and skin diseases such as psoriasis. This article reviews the history of miRNA and siRNA discovery, key aspects of their biogenesis and mechanism of action, and known connections to human health, with an emphasis on their roles in skin development and disease.
微小RNA（miRNA）和小干扰RNA（siRNA）是一类调控性小RNA分子，长度在18至24个核苷酸之间，它们在发育和疾病中的作用正日益受到认可。它们通过改变与其具有序列互补性的信使RNA（mRNA）的稳定性或翻译效率来发挥作用，预计会影响多达三分之一的人类基因。计算机算法和微阵列数据估计人类中存在近1000种miRNA，对候选miRNA的直接检测已证实它们参与了各种癌症、神经元发育障碍、心脏肥大以及牛皮癣等皮肤疾病。本文回顾了miRNA和siRNA的发现历史、它们生物合成和作用机制的关键方面以及与人类健康的已知联系，重点关注它们在皮肤发育和疾病中的作用。
