Macrophage miRNAs in atherosclerosis

The discovery of endogenous microRNAs (miRNAs) in the early 1990s has been followed by the identification of hundreds of miRNAs and their roles in regulating various biological processes, including proliferation, apoptosis, lipid metabolism, glucose homeostasis and viral infection Esteller (2011), Ameres and Zamore (2013) [1,2]. miRNAs are small (~ 22 nucleotides) non-coding RNAs that function as “rheostats” to simultaneously tweak the expression of multiple genes within a genetic network, resulting in dramatic functional modulation of biological processes. Although the last decade has brought the identification of miRNAs, their targets and function(s) in health and disease, there remains much to be deciphered from the human genome and its complexities in mechanistic regulation of entire genetic networks. These discoveries have opened the door to new and exciting avenues for therapeutic interventions to treat various pathological diseases, including cardiometabolic diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes and obesity. In a complex multi-factorial disease like atherosclerosis, many miRNAs have been shown to contribute to disease progression and may offer novel targets for future therapy. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: MicroRNAs and lipid/energy metabolism and related diseases edited by Carlos Fernández-Hernando and Yajaira Suárez.