title: Function, Role, and Clinical Application of MicroRNAs in Vascular Aging.
abstract: Vascular aging, a specific type of organic aging, is related to age-dependent changes in the vasculature, including atherosclerotic plaques, arterial stiffness, fibrosis, and increased intimal thickening. Vascular aging could influence the threshold, process, and severity of various cardiovascular diseases, thus making it one of the most important risk factors in the high mortality of cardiovascular diseases. As endothelial cells (ECs) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are the main cell biological basis of these pathology changes of the vasculature, the structure and function of ECs and VSMCs play a key role in vascular aging. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small noncoding RNAs, have been shown to regulate the expression of multiple messenger RNAs (mRNAs) posttranscriptionally, contributing to many crucial aspects of cell biology. Recently, miRNAs with functions associated with aging or aging-related diseases have been studied. In this review, we will summarize the reported role of miRNAs in the process of vascular aging with special emphasis on EC and VSMC functions. In addition, the potential application of miRNAs to clinical practice for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases will also be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6039-3630
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
authors.forename: Jun-Kun
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Jiao
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Yin
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
authors.forename: Hui-Qian
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
authors.forename: You-Shuo
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4087-782X
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs