Platelet miRNAs and cardiovascular diseases

Activated platelets play a critical role in the acute complications of atherosclerosis that cause life-threatening ischemic events at late stages of the disease. The miRNAs are a novel class of small, non-coding RNAs that play a significant role in both inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases. The miRNAs are known to be present in platelets and exert important regulatory functions. Here we systematically examine the genes that are regulated by platelet miRNAs (miRNA-223, miRNA-126, miRNA-21, miRNA-24 and miRNA-197) and the association with cardiovascular disease risks. Platelet-secreted miRNAs could be novel biomarkers associated with cardiovascular diseases.

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