Role of micro RNAs in stem cells, cardiac differentiation and cardiovascular diseases

MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are non-coding small RNAs which act as a mediator in gene expression by annealing to messenger RNA (mRNA) and degradation of it or translational repression. These regulating RNAs guide processes of cellular functions such as stem cell state and self-renewal as well as their differentiation not only for a single gene, but also controlling the levels of a large cohort of gene products and also involved in some diseases. Cardiovascular diseases are a worldwide disorder and a major cause of human morbidity and mortality. Moreover, surgery and intervention, cell therapy via stem cells transplantation and miRNAs are new therapeutic methods hold great promise for regenerative medicine and the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Regarding to most of cardiovascular diseases has a genetic-impaired base, miRNA therapeutics via the use of antisense oligonucleotide-mediated knockdown or miRNA-mimic-based overexpression techniques could be used. Also, we could be able to change the functional potency of stem cells through miRNA regulating methods before cell transplantation for cardiovascular diseases.