miRNAs as Biomarkers in Disease: Latest Findings Regarding Their Role in Diagnosis and Prognosis
by
Carmen Elena Condrat 1,†, Dana Claudia Thompson 1,†, Madalina Gabriela Barbu 1,†, Oana Larisa Bugnar 1, Andreea Boboc 1, Dragos Cretoiu 1,2, Nicolae Suciu 1,3,4, Sanda Maria Cretoiu 2,* and Silviu Cristian Voinea 5
Carmen Elena Condrat 1,†, Dana Claudia Thompson 1,†, Madalina Gabriela Barbu 1,†, Oana Larisa Bugnar 1, Andreea Boboc 1, Dragos Cretoiu 1,2, Nicolae Suciu 1,3,4, Sanda Maria Cretoiu 2,* and Silviu Cristian Voinea 5
1
Alessandrescu-Rusescu National Institute for Mother and Child Health, Fetal Medicine Excellence Research Center, 020395 Bucharest, Romania
2
Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Histology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 8 Eroii Sanitari Blvd., 050474 Bucharest, Romania
3
Division of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Neonatology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 8 Eroii Sanitari Blvd., 050474 Bucharest, Romania
4
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Polizu Clinical Hospital, Alessandrescu-Rusescu National Institute for Mother and Child Health, 020395 Bucharest, Romania
5
Department of Surgical Oncology, Prof. Dr. Alexandru Trestioreanu Oncology Institute, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 252 Fundeni Rd., 022328 Bucharest, Romania
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Cells 2020, 9(2), 276; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9020276
Received: 22 November 2019 / Revised: 14 January 2020 / Accepted: 21 January 2020 / Published: 23 January 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue microRNA as Biomarker)
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a class of small, non-coding RNAs with the main roles of regulating mRNA through its degradation and adjusting protein levels. In recent years, extraordinary progress has been made in terms of identifying the origin and exact functions of miRNA, focusing on their potential use in both the research and the clinical field. This review aims at improving the current understanding of these molecules and their applicability in the medical field. A thorough analysis of the literature consulting resources available in online databases such as NCBI, PubMed, Medline, ScienceDirect, and UpToDate was performed. There is promising evidence that in spite of the lack of standardized protocols regarding the use of miRNAs in current clinical practice, they constitute a reliable tool for future use. These molecules meet most of the required criteria for being an ideal biomarker, such as accessibility, high specificity, and sensitivity. Despite present limitations, miRNAs as biomarkers for various conditions remain an impressive research field. As current techniques evolve, we anticipate that miRNAs will become a routine approach in the development of personalized patient profiles, thus permitting more specific therapeutic interventions.
Keywords:
miRNA; biomarker; diagnosis; prognosis; cancer; cardiovascular disease; sepsis; nervous system
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited
MDPI and ACS Style
Condrat, C.E.; Thompson, D.C.; Barbu, M.G.; Bugnar, O.L.; Boboc, A.; Cretoiu, D.; Suciu, N.; Cretoiu, S.M.; Voinea, S.C. miRNAs as Biomarkers in Disease: Latest Findings Regarding Their Role in Diagnosis and Prognosis. Cells 2020, 9, 276.
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