Published online May 15, 2014. doi: 10.4291/wjgp.v5.i2.63
Revised: February 8, 2014
Accepted: April 16, 2014
Published online: May 15, 2014
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is believed to develop via a complex interaction between genetic, environmental factors and the mucosal immune system. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two major clinical forms of IBD. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, endogenous, noncoding RNA molecules, and evolutionary conserved in animals and plants. It controls protein production at the post-transcriptional level by targeting mRNAs for translational repression or degradation. MiRNAs are important in many biological processes, such as signal transduction, cellular proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Considerable attention has been paid on the key role of miRNAs in autoimmune and inflammatory disease, especially IBD. Recent studies have identified altered miRNA profiles in ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease-associated colorectal cancer. In addition, emerging data have implicated that special miRNAs which suppress functional targets play a critical role in regulating key pathogenic mechanism in IBD. MiRNAs were found involving in regulation of nuclear transcription factor kappa B pathway (e.g., miR-146a, miR-146b, miR-122, miR-132, miR-126), intestinal epithelial barrier function (e.g., miR-21, miR-150, miR-200b) and the autophagic activity (e.g., miR-30c, miR-130a, miR-106b, miR-93, miR-196). This review aims at discussing recent advances in our understanding of miRNAs in IBD pathogenesis, their role as disease biomarkers, and perspective for future investigation and clinical application.
Core tip: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, noncoding RNA molecules that post-transcriptionally regulate gene and protein expression. Recent studies have identified altered miRNA profiles in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Special miRNAs which suppress functional targets have been found to play a critical role in regulating key pathogenic mechanism in IBD. In this review, we discuss the possibility to use miRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic target in IBD.