Wang Bo, Ricardo Sharon
Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2014 Aug;41(8):543-50. doi: 10.1111/1440-1681.12249.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that are critical regulators of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. The miRNAs constitute an abundant class of RNAs conserved from plants to animals and, as such, play key roles in diverse biological processes, including inflammation, development, differentiation and apoptosis. More recently, it has become apparent that changes in miRNA expression contribute to a wide spectrum of human pathologies, including heart and kidney disease, organ developmental abnormalities and neuronal degeneration. Moreover, inflammation and the development of kidney fibrosis is accompanied by changes in miRNA expression. This review summarizes the emerging field deciphering the complex connections between human miRNA biology and different aspects of kidney injury, focusing on kidney fibrosis. The miRNA-regulated fibrosis is discussed based on the classification of pivotal mechanisms, notably involving the transforming growth factor-β1 signalling pathway. In addition, the challenge of miRNA delivery vehicles as mechanisms of cellular transfer are reviewed, as is the use of miRNA as a potential biomarker for disease.
微小RNA（miRNA）是一类小的非编码RNA，是转录后水平基因表达的关键调节因子。miRNA构成了一类丰富的RNA，从植物到动物都保守存在，因此在多种生物学过程中发挥关键作用，包括炎症、发育、分化和凋亡。最近，很明显miRNA表达的变化与广泛的人类疾病有关，包括心脏病和肾病、器官发育异常以及神经元变性。此外，炎症和肾纤维化的发展伴随着miRNA表达的变化。本综述总结了一个新兴领域，该领域正在解读人类miRNA生物学与肾损伤不同方面之间的复杂联系，重点是肾纤维化。基于关键机制的分类讨论了miRNA调节的纤维化，特别是涉及转化生长因子-β1信号通路。此外，还综述了作为细胞转移机制的miRNA递送载体的挑战，以及miRNA作为疾病潜在生物标志物的应用。
