title: Recent progress toward the use of circulating microRNAs as clinical biomarkers.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to be critical mediators of many cellular and developmental processes and have been implicated in different human diseases. Since the observation of extracellular miRNAs present in various biofluids, much attention and excitement have been garnered toward understanding the functional roles of these circulating extracellular miRNAs and establishing their potential use as noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers. Here, we will review the current state of miRNA biomarkers for many human diseases, including their emerging use in toxicological applications, and discuss the current challenges in the field, with an emphasis on technical issues that often hinder discovery-based miRNA biomarker studies.
authors: Institute for Systems Biology, 401 Terry Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA.
authors: Vikas
authors: V
authors: Ghai
authors: Institute for Systems Biology, 401 Terry Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA. kai.wang@systemsbiology.org.
authors: Kai
authors: K
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000639:trends; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D011041:Poisoning / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D014116:Toxicology / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Biomarkers; Cancer; Cardiovascular disease; Diabetes; MiRNAs; Toxicology