Role of miRNAs in Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a type of heart disease with high incidence and mortality in Europe and the United States as well as in Asian countries. miRNA is a kind of regulatory RNA which controls gene expression by binding to complementary sequences of their targets, thus promotes RNA degradation and/or inhibits protein translation. Recent studies showed miRNAs function as key mediators in the pathological process of CAD which supply potential targets for CAD treatment. Expression of several miRNAs is heart-specific and CAD-specific, in addition to the signature that miRNAs are stable in plasma and other body fluids, makes miRNAs potential biomarkers for CAD diagnosis, therapeutic efficacy and prognosis. Here, the review will summarize the development of miRNAs involved in CAD.