title: MicroRNAs in aortic disease.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs of &#126;22 nucleotides which act as down regulators of gene expression in the post-transcription level and/or in the translation level. Several studies have shown that the process of their maturation is rather crucial for the development of cardiovascular system thus their regulation (up-,down-) is implicated with many cardiac pathologies. This is evaluated through their circulating levels which are reliable, stable and the changes in their serum profiles are representative of tissue alterations serum levels. Furthermore, they have been shown to participate in cardiovascular disease pathogenesis including atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure cardiac arrhythmias and aortic stenosis. In the present review, we will first describe i) the process of miRNAs' maturation ii) their role in the cardiovascular development, iii) their role as biomarkers of cardiac diseases, iv) the cardiac myo-miR families and the v) their role in cardiac remodeling and the development of cardiac diseases. Second we will review the miRNA families that participate in aortic stenosis separated according to its main pathways (imflammation, fibrosis, calcification). Finally, we will describe the miRNAs that participate in the development of aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection according to their serum levels.
authors.affiliation: 1st Dept. of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, Medical School, University of Athens, Greece. vavouran@otenet.gr
authors.forename: Manolis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vavuranakis
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kariori
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vrachatis
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aznaouridis
authors.forename: Gerasimos
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Siasos
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kokkou
authors.forename: Savvas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazaris
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moldovan
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kalogeras
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tousoulis
authors.forename: Christodoulos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stefanadis
mesh_terms: D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D035683:MicroRNAs