title: MicroRNA: potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for allergic asthma?
abstract: MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that bind to multiple target mRNAs to control gene expression post-transcriptionally by inhibiting translation. In mammalian cells, microRNAs play important roles in a diverse array of cellular processes (e.g. cell proliferation and differentiation). However, alterations in their levels may compromise cellular function, predisposing to disease. In this review, we discuss microRNAs that have been linked with pathogenesis of asthma and propose functional roles in the regulation of disease. MicroRNAs have the potential to be biomarkers for asthma and provide the platform for the development of new classes of therapeutic compounds.
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Disease, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle , Newcastle 2308 , Australia.
authors.forename: Hock L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Tay
authors.forename: Maximilian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plank
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Collison
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mattes
authors.forename: Rakesh K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Foster
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001980:Bronchi / Q000737:chemistry*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000737:chemistry; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D035683:MicroRNAs; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense
keywords: Allergy; asthma; inflammation; lung; microRNAs