MicroRNA208 family in cardiovascular diseases: therapeutic implication and potential biomarker

Cardiovascular disease remains to be a severe and yet unsolved health problem that has become a leading threat to human health. It is urgent to explore early diagnostic biomarker and innovative therapeutic strategy to prevent the progression of cardiovascular diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are conserved endogenous, non-coding small RNAs that are essential modulators of gene expression by inhibiting translation or promoting degradation of messenger RNAs (mRNAs). A large range of functions has been attributed to miRNAs, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and invasion. So far, miRNAs have shown characteristic changes in expression during the process of cardiovascular disease that may act as potential biomarkers. A series of studies have clearly discovered that the miR-208 family is closely associated with the development of cardiac diseases, such as myocardial hypertrophy, cardiac fibrosis, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, and heart failure. In this review, we will highlight novel insights into miR-208 family functions and discuss it as potential biomarker and therapeutic target in cardiovascular diseases.