microRNA

Overview

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression primarily at the post-transcriptional level. By binding to complementary sequences in target messenger RNAs, they can reduce protein production through mRNA degradation or translational repression. Because a single microRNA can influence multiple genes, miRNAs participate in broad regulatory networks that affect cell differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, metabolism, immune signaling, and stress responses.

In biomedical research, microRNAs are widely studied as disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Altered miRNA expression has been associated with cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory disorders, neurodegeneration, infectious disease, and fibrotic conditions. Recent studies also highlight their presence in extracellular vesicles and other circulating compartments, supporting their use in minimally invasive diagnostics and in mechanistic studies of intercellular communication.

Recent Publications Focus

Below is a summary of the newest research publications targeting microRNA (sorted by publication date).

Recent advances have significantly enhanced microRNA detection and diagnostic capabilities through innovative biosensing platforms coupled with emerging technologies. A novel biosensor integrated catalytic hairpin assembly with hybridization chain reaction and CRISPR/Cas12a to achieve ultrasensitive miRNA detection with limits as low as 37 femtomolar, demonstrating single-base discrimination and stable performance in complex biological matrices including serum and tumor cell lysates [42417866]. Alternative platforms have expanded detection modalities to include tri-modal biosensing with colorimetric, fluorescent, and electrochemical outputs using dual CRISPR/Cas12a systems [41935002], electrochemical approaches for multiplex quantification of miRNAs within lipid nanoparticles [42037292], and weight-controllable biobarcode probes enabling machine learning-trained classification that achieved 84% accuracy distinguishing breast cancer patients from healthy individuals on clinical serum samples using three miRNA inputs [42306980].

MicroRNA biomarkers have emerged as valuable indicators for early cancer detection and disease stratification across multiple malignancies. EV-derived miRNAs represent a promising platform for biomarker discovery in acute lymphoblastic leukemia [42340965], while EV miRNAs isolated from nipple discharge enable noninvasive breast cancer screening [42307695]. A physiology-informed miRNA framework integrating eight miRNA ratios with blood biochemistry parameters demonstrated diagnostic potential for urothelial carcinoma in hemodialysis patients, with functional studies showing that miR-19b-1-5p, miR-155-5p, miR-210-3p, and miR-378a-3p reduced proliferation and anchorage-independent growth in cancer cells [42374859]. Circulating miRNA profiles effectively discriminated acute infection from asymptomatic carriage in Theileria equi disease and correlated with parasite burden and immune status [42066974], while serum miRNA-9-5p and other candidates emerged as potential diagnostic markers for breast cancer [42213364]. An interpretable miRNA prediction model for pancreatic cancer detection demonstrated cross-platform validation [42081539], and exosomal miRNAs predicted response to preoperative chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer [42011875]. Additionally, time-sensitive circulating miRNAs were identified as serum quality indicators, with miR-4429 and miR-6511b-5p showing significant time-dependent signal changes reflecting storage conditions [42246163].

Mechanistic studies have revealed microRNAs as critical regulators within complex biological networks governing disease pathophysiology and therapeutic response. In mesothelioma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, patients with favorable survival outcomes exhibited overexpressed miRNAs targeting competing endogenous RNA networks with gene expression profiles associated with immunotherapy resistance [42177870]. Multi-omics analysis in coronary artery disease identified miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks as novel post-transcriptional regulators, with machine learning prioritizing 20 hub miRNAs including 11 previously unrecognized master regulators [42162444]. Skeletal aging studies identified shared miRNA dysregulation across physiological and radiation-induced aging contexts: miR-135a-5p and miR-671-5p were downregulated in aging bone, while miR-183-5p regulating Wnt pathway genes and miR-155-5p regulating senescence-associated secretory phenotype genes showed distinct expression patterns [42183846]. IL-11-induced miRNAs functioned as downstream mediators of cardiac fibrosis with circulating biomarker potential in aortic stenosis patients [41841256], and time-resolved analysis revealed miRNA alterations following imatinib treatment in chronic myeloid leukemia cells [42201499].

Therapeutic applications have leveraged microRNAs both as sensing elements and targets within engineered systems for precision medicine. A miRNA-governed autocatalytic Fenton nanoplatform used tumor-overexpressed oncogenic miRNAs to activate intracellular chemodynamic therapy with real-time imaging guidance, enabling selective cancer cell elimination [42017828]. State-specific miRNA-directed CRISPR systems detected epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition through EMT-specific miRNAs to regulate ribozyme-driven sgRNA constructs, enabling selective elimination of mesenchymal cells [41950922], while intracellular DNA network assembly triggered by miRNA-155 and telomerase achieved imaging-guided STING hyperactivation for cancer immunotherapy [41724120]. Stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles carrying miRNA repertoires demonstrated therapeutic efficacy in moyamoya disease: mesenchymal stem cell-derived EVs restored angiogenesis-related miRNAs depleted in patient endothelial cells, rescuing angiogenic function in dose-dependent manner and validated through an AI-enhanced framework integrating experimental databases with large language model-assisted mechanistic scoring [42274939]. CRISPR-EV synergy was proposed as a systems approach integrating miRNA delivery with metabolic reprogramming to enhance mitochondrial maturation in iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes for cardiac regeneration [41897402].

Aging-related changes in microRNA composition within extracellular vesicles have revealed potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for age-associated diseases. Senior dogs exhibited reduced plasma extracellular vesicle abundance with altered morphology and decreased miRNA content, particularly miR-19b and miR-29c [42319614]. Comprehensive multi-omics analysis comparing young and aged plasma and tissue-derived extracellular vesicles identified 45 miRNA-based therapeutic candidates uniquely enriched in tissue-derived vesicles with demonstrated cardioprotective effects [41621130]. Multiple validated miRNA agents successfully prevented cell death and cardiac fibrosis in microfluidic organ-on-chip disease models, establishing these miRNA signatures as potential indicators of cardiac health and aging status [41621130].