Cardinal roles of miRNA in cardiac development and disease

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that are emerging as pivotal modulators in virtually all aspects of cardiac biology, from cardiac development to cardiomyocyte survival and hypertrophy. The miRNA profiling, following gain- and loss-of-function studies using in vitro and in vivo models, has identified wide-ranging functions for miRNAs in the heart, providing new perspectives on their contributions to cardiac pathogenesis, and revealing potential therapeutic targets and diagnostic biomarkers. This review summarizes current progress in regulation of miRNAs in heart development and disease. © 2011 Science China Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.