title: Potential application of miRNAs as diagnostic and therapeutic tools in chronic pancreatitis.
abstract: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a progressive inflammatory disease typified by end-stage fibrosis. This disease can also increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. The associated diagnosis, pain and other complications further add to the burden of disease management. In recent years, significant progress has been achieved in identifying miRNAs and their physiological functions, including mRNA repression and protein expression control. Given the extensive effort made on miRNA research, a close correlation has been discovered between certain types of miRNAs and disease progression, particularly for tissue fibrosis. Designing miRNA-related tools for disease diagnosis and therapeutic treatments presents a novel and potential research frontier. In the current review, we discuss various miRNAs closely interacting with CP, as well as the possible development of targeted miRNA therapies in managing this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Liang-Hao
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jun-Tao
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zhao-Shen
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000438:Alcohols / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000438:Alcohols; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: chronic pancreatitis; diagnosis; fibrosis; miRNA; therapeutic tools