Regulation of cardiac stem cells by microRNAs: State-of-the-art

Stem cells have a therapeutic potential in various medical conditions. In cases without sufficient response to conventional drug treatments, stem cells represent a next generation therapeutic strategy in cardiovascular diseases. Cardiac stem cells (CSCs), among a wide variety of stem cell sources, have been identified as a valid option for stem cell-based therapy in cardiovascular diseases. CSCs mainly act as a cell source to supply the physiological need for cardiovascular cells. However, they have been demonstrated to reproduce the myocardial cells under pathological settings. Despite their roles and functions have somewhat been clarified, molecular pathways underlying the regulatory mechanisms of CSCs are still not fully elucidated. Several studies have recently shown that different microRNAs (miRNAs) play a substantial role in regulating and controlling both the physiological and pathological proliferation and differentiation of stem cells. MiRNAs are small non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression and may undergo aberrant expression levels during pathological conditions. Understanding the way through which miRNAs regulate CSC behavior may open up new horizons in modulating these cells in vitro to devise sophisticated approaches for treating patients with cardiovascular diseases. In this review article, we tried to discuss available evidence about the role of miRNAs in regulating CSCs.