| dc.description.abstract | Atherosclerosis occurs in response to chronic inflammation of the vascular walls. Its complications can cause high mortality. Although the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying atherosclerosis has been well understood, new signaling molecules that control the progress of these pathologies have continuously been discovered. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have recently emerged as a novel gene regulator that work through mRNA degradation and translation inhibition. Many of genes in the cell can be directly regulated by miRNA. Thus, miRNAs are considered as an important regulator in physiological and pathophysiological processes in the body. Alterations of miRNAs expression profiles have been revealed in diverse vascular diseases. A variety of functions of vascular cells, such as cell differentiation, contraction, migration, proliferation and inflammation that are involved in angiogenesis, neointimal formation and lipid metabolism underlying various vascular diseases, have been found to be regulated by miRNAs. This review summarizes current research progress and knowledge on the roles of miRNAs in regulating vascular cell function in atherosclerosis. This discovery is expected to present a positive impact for clinical diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in atherosclerosis. | en_US |
