miRNAs in the Pathogenesis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) were first discovered as regulatory RNAs that controlled the timing of the larval development of Caenorhabditis elegans. Since then, nearly 30,000 mature miRNA products have been found in many species, including plants, warms, flies and mammals. Currently, miRNAs are well established as endogenous small (~22 nt) noncoding RNAs, which have functions in regulating mRNA stability and translation. Owing to intensive investigations during the last decade, miRNAs were found to play essential roles in regulating many physiological and pathological processes. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by elevated autoantibodies against nuclear antigens and excessive inflammatory responses affecting multiple organs. Although efforts were taken and theories were produced to elucidate the pathogenesis of SLE, we still lack sufficient knowledge about the disease for developing effective therapies for lupus patients. Recent advances indicate that miRNAs are involved in the development of SLE, which gives us new insights into the pathogenesis of SLE and might lead to the finding of new therapeutic targets. Here, we will review recent discoveries about how miRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of SLE and how it can promote the development of new therapy.
Department of Rheumatology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200001, China. qubo.bio@gmail.com.
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Department of Rheumatology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200001, China. Nan.Shen@cchmc.org.|Institute of Health Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences (SIBS) & Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200031, China. Nan.Shen@cchmc.org.|Division of Rheumatology and the Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology (CAGE), Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA. Nan.Shen@cchmc.org.
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D056704:Adaptive Immunity; D000818:Animals; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear / Q000737:chemistry; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D051379:Mice; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000737:chemistry
D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D022661:RNA, Untranslated