title: The role of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are single-stranded, endogenous non-coding small RNAs, ranging from 18 to 25 nucleotides in length. Growing evidence suggests that miRNAs are essential in regulating gene expression, cell development, differentiation and function. Autoimmune diseases are a family of chronic systemic inflammatory diseases. Recent findings on miRNA expression profiles have been suggesting their role as biomarkers in autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren's syndrome. In this review, we summarize the characteristics of miRNAs and their functional role in the immune system and autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus, primary Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, multiple sclerosis and psoriasis; moreover, we depict the advantages of miRNAs in modern diagnostics.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Móricz Zs. str. 22, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Ji-Qing
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Móricz Zs. str. 22, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papp
authors.affiliation: Centre for Immune Regulation, Department of Immunology, University of Oslo, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Péter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szodoray
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Móricz Zs. str. 22, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary. Electronic address: zeher@iiibel.dote.hu.
authors.forename: Margit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeher
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: MicroRNAs (miRs); Multiple sclerosis (MS); Primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS); Psoriasis; Rheumatoid arthritis (RA); Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); Systemic sclerosis (SSc)