title: Function and Therapeutic Potential of Noncoding RNAs in Cardiac Fibrosis.
abstract: Cardiac fibrosis as a result of excessive extracellular matrix deposition leads to stiffening of the heart, which can eventually lead to heart failure. An important event in cardiac fibrosis is the transformation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, which secrete large amounts of extracellular matrix proteins. Although the function of protein-coding genes in myofibroblast activation and fibrosis have been a topic of investigation for a long time, it has become clear that noncoding RNAs also play key roles in cardiac fibrosis. This review discusses the involvement of microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs in cardiac fibrosis and summarizes the issues related to translating these findings into real-life therapies.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Experimental Cardiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (E.E.C.); Hubrecht Institute, KNAW, Utrecht, The Netherlands (E.v.R.); and Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands (E.v.R.).
authors.forename: Esther E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Creemers
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Experimental Cardiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (E.E.C.); Hubrecht Institute, KNAW, Utrecht, The Netherlands (E.v.R.); and Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands (E.v.R.). E.vanrooij@hubrecht.eu.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Rooij
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D022661:RNA, Untranslated
keywords: fibrosis; heart disease; microRNAs; noncoding RNAs; therapy