INSERM, U844, University Hospital Saint Eloi, Montpellier, France.
Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2013 Mar;25(2):225-33. doi: 10.1097/BOR.0b013e32835d8385.
It is becoming more and more obvious that epigenetic processes influence the development of rheumatic diseases as strongly as the genetic background. Research on the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in rheumatic diseases, and especially in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), has been very active for the past 5 years. Most studies have reported the aberrant expression of miRNAs in the circulation or joint tissues, and the pathogenic role of a few of them has been investigated in the experimental models.
As inflammation and joint damage are the main hallmarks of RA, we focused on the three miRNAs, miR-146a, miR-155 and miR-223, whose functions have been studied in both the processes and the pathogenic role investigated in the experimental models.
Focusing on the role of miR-146a, miR-155 and miR-223 in RA pathogenesis emphasizes the intertwined relationships between bone homeostasis and immunity, and the prominent role of monocytes in RA. Studying the miRNAs in RA will shed light on the pathological processes and help in identifying novel drug candidates and biomarkers.
越来越明显的是，表观遗传过程对风湿性疾病的发展的影响与遗传背景同样强烈。在过去的 5 年中，人们对 microRNAs（miRNAs）在风湿性疾病中的作用，特别是在类风湿关节炎（RA）中的作用进行了非常活跃的研究。大多数研究都报告了 miRNA 在循环或关节组织中的异常表达，并且已经在实验模型中研究了其中一些 miRNA 的致病作用。
由于炎症和关节损伤是 RA 的主要特征，我们专注于研究三个 miRNA，miR-146a、miR-155 和 miR-223，它们的功能已在这两个过程中进行了研究，并在实验模型中研究了它们的致病作用。
专注于 miR-146a、miR-155 和 miR-223 在 RA 发病机制中的作用，强调了骨稳态和免疫之间的相互关系，以及单核细胞在 RA 中的突出作用。研究 RA 中的 miRNA 将有助于阐明病理过程，并有助于确定新的药物候选物和生物标志物。
