Epigenetic role of micrornas in diabetic cardiomyopathy

Cardiovascular complications in diabetic individuals account for significant morbidity and mortality. Clinical and epidemiological studies have also shown significantly increased incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular complications in diabetes. Heart failure (HF) in diabetes in the absence of known cardiac complications such as myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease further supports the existence of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DbCM). Myocyte hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis are the established pathological features of the DbCM and are associated with differential expression of genes involved in cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. Recent studies show the role of tiny noncoding regulatory RNAs, known as microRNAs (miRs), in the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. A large number of miRs have been identified that regulate diverse aspects of cardiac development and function and also play key role in regulating various signaling pathways involved in the pathogenesis of HF. The present review provides an overview of the role of miRs in diabetes-associated heart disease.