MicroRNAs in COPD: small molecules with big potential

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Micro ribonucleic acids (microRNAs or miRNAs) are small (∼22 nucleotide in length) non-protein-coding regulatory RNAs that have the potential to impact the development and progression of nearly all human diseases through interactions with messenger RNAs (mRNAs) [1]. MicroRNAs are transcribed from non-protein-coding regions of the genome into hairpin structures in the nucleus of cells and then are exported into the cytoplasm. The mature miRNA complexes can act within the cell or be secreted into the extracellular compartment to facilitate cell–cell communication. MicroRNA research in COPD can help explain the observed heterogeneity, not only in clinical presentation, but also in treatment response, particularly as it relates to inhaled corticosteroids http://ow.ly/HbYo30o7lIt