Department of Physiology and Cancer Research Institute, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, TN 38163, USA.
Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2011 Jul 18;63(8):616-22. doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2011.01.001. Epub 2011 Jan 15.
miRNAs are a new class of endogenous small RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level. Accumulating experimental evidence shows that miRNAs regulate cellular apoptosis, proliferation, differentiation, and migration. Dysregulation of miRNA expression leads to various human diseases including cancer and cardiovascular disease. miRNA maturation is regulated at multiple steps by different mechanisms, including miRNA editing, hairpin loop binding, self-regulation, and cross-talk with other signaling pathways. Vascular cell movement plays a pivotal role in the development of various cancers and cardiovascular diseases. miRNAs have been found to regulate vascular cell movement. Presently the chemically synthesized antagomir and miRNA mimics have been widely used in investigating the biological functions of miRNA genes. The viral vectors, including adenoviral, lentiviral, and adeno-associated viral vectors, have been used to efficiently overexpress or knockdown miRNAs in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, targeting vascular cell movement using miRNA-based drug or gene therapy would provide a novel therapeutic approach in the treatment of cancers and vascular diseases.
miRNAs 是一类新的内源性小分子 RNA，可在转录后水平负调控基因表达。越来越多的实验证据表明，miRNAs 可调节细胞凋亡、增殖、分化和迁移。miRNA 表达失调可导致多种人类疾病，包括癌症和心血管疾病。miRNA 的成熟受到多种机制的调节，包括 miRNA 编辑、发夹环结合、自我调控以及与其他信号通路的相互作用。血管细胞运动在各种癌症和心血管疾病的发生发展中起着关键作用。已经发现 miRNAs 可调节血管细胞运动。目前，化学合成的反义寡核苷酸和 miRNA 模拟物已被广泛用于研究 miRNA 基因的生物学功能。病毒载体，包括腺病毒、慢病毒和腺相关病毒载体，已被用于在体外和体内高效过表达或敲低 miRNAs。因此，基于 miRNA 的药物或基因治疗靶向血管细胞运动将为癌症和血管疾病的治疗提供一种新的治疗方法。
