Micro-RNAs and Next Generation Sequencing: New perspectives in Heart Failure

• miRNA expression profiling can be a diagnostic and predictive tool for Heart Failure.
• Circulating miRNAs constitute potential biomarkers in Heart Failure.
• miRNAs might have potential applications in targeted therapeutics for Heart Failure.
• Next Generation Sequencing enables the discovery of novel miRNAs.
• Next Generation Sequencing identified miRNAs not previously related to Heart Failure.

miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression. They have significant role in the regulation of cardiovascular function and conditions, such as Heart Failure (HF), as demonstrated by studies of miRNA expression profiling in myocardial tissue. The importance of the use of miRNAs as biomarkers in HF was enhanced when found that they exist extracellularly, with remarkable stability and there are indications that their expression levels reflect the cell response in cardiovascular conditions including Heart Failure. Advances in technology and bioinformatics broaden the field of applications of miRNAs in HF. The introduction of new platforms, such as Next Generation Sequencing, enabled the discovery of novel miRNAs that might be utilized as Heart Failure biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic purposes and with potential applications in targeted therapeutics.