MicroRNAs as biomarkers for clinical studies

Area of Science:

• Biomarker Discovery
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Genomics

Background:

• Non-invasive biomarkers are crucial for disease diagnosis, prognosis, and personalized treatment, potentially reducing healthcare costs.
• MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a role in disease pathogenesis and are stable in biological fluids, making them attractive biomarker candidates.
• Extensive research has explored circulating miRNAs for disease diagnosis and prognosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current understanding of circulating microRNAs as potential non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers.
• To identify and emphasize the existing gaps, challenges, and critical questions for translating miRNA profiling into clinical practice.
• To highlight the need for well-designed and controlled studies to validate miRNA biomarkers.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of current knowledge on circulating microRNAs in disease diagnosis.
• Analysis of challenges and limitations in the field of miRNA biomarker research.
• Identification of future research directions for clinical translation.

Main Results:

• Alterations in circulating microRNAs suggest potential as sensitive indicators for various pathologies.
• Despite progress, circulating miRNAs have not yet been widely adopted in clinical medicine.
• Commonly reported miRNA biomarkers often lack disease specificity, and study results are frequently contradictory across independent investigations.

Conclusions:

• Circulating microRNAs hold significant potential as non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers.
• Key challenges include lack of specificity and inconsistent findings, necessitating rigorous future research.
• Successful clinical translation requires well-designed studies to overcome current limitations and establish reliable miRNA-based diagnostic tools.