MicroRNAs: their involvement in fibrosis pathogenesis and use as diagnostic biomarkers in scleroderma

miRNAs are important post-transcriptional regulators. The aberrant expression of miRNAs is strongly associated with the initiation and progression of pathophysiologic processes in a wide range of human diseases. Scleroderma (systemic sclerosis; SSc) is a highly heterogeneous autoimmune disease that includes the progressive fibrotic replacement of normal tissue architecture in multiple organs. Our previous studies have suggested that SSc skin tissues display a different miRNA expression signature than that found in normal controls. miRNAs with pro- or antifibrotic properties are found to be dysregulated in SSc skin fibrosis. Serum miRNA levels are associated with SSc activity and severity. miRNAs have the potential to be therapeutic targets and serve as biomarkers for SSc diagnosis and assessment of disease state and severity. This review summarizes the SSc miRNA expression signature and the roles of dysregulation of miRNAs in SSc tissues and serum and examines the future therapeutic potential of targeting miRNAs in the management of SSc patients. Tiny RNA molecules could become useful diagnostic tools or therapeutic targets for an enigmatic and potentially fatal autoimmune disease, researchers in China report. Patients with scleroderma accumulate fibrous tissue in organs throughout the body, which can lead to heart or kidney failure in severe cases. No effective treatments are currently available, but several research groups have identified potential physiological markers of scleroderma. Xiaoxia Zuo and colleagues at Xiangya Hospital have reviewed studies specifically investigating the contributions of gene-controlling RNAs called microRNAs. Numerous microRNAs are improperly regulated in scleroderma, such as miR-29, which appears to prevent fibrous tissue formation and is found at abnormally low levels in disease tissue. By identifying such signatures of severe scleroderma, it may become possible to devise targeted assays for early detection or even strategies for modulating levels of relevant microRNAs.