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Updated: Sep 29, 2025

In Vivo Nanovector Delivery of a Heart-specific MicroRNA-sponge
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Published on: June 15, 2018

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Functional Role of microRNAs in Regulating Cardiomyocyte Death

Urna Kansakar1, Fahimeh Varzideh1, Pasquale Mone1

  • 1Department of Medicine (Cardiology), Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Einstein Institute for Aging Research, Institute for Neuroimmunology and Inflammation (INI), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA.

Cells
|March 25, 2022
PubMed

Insights

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of cardiovascular disease. This review details how miRNAs control cardiomyocyte death, including apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy, in conditions like heart failure and myocardial infarction.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Death Mechanisms

Background:

  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are critical regulators in cardiovascular pathophysiology.
  • Cardiomyocyte death is a central mechanism in various heart diseases, including myocardial infarction and heart failure.
  • Understanding miRNA-mediated regulation of cell death pathways is vital for therapeutic development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive overview of the functional roles of miRNAs in regulating cardiomyocyte death.
  • To systematically review the involvement of miRNAs in apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy in the context of cardiovascular disease.
  • To highlight the significance of miRNA-mediated cardiomyocyte death in acute myocardial infarction, ischemia/reperfusion injury, and heart failure.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic literature review.
  • Analysis of existing research on miRNA function in cardiomyocyte death.
  • Focus on apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy pathways.

Main Results:

  • miRNAs extensively regulate multiple cardiomyocyte death pathways.
  • Specific miRNAs have been identified as key players in apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy.
  • Dysregulation of these miRNAs contributes to the progression of cardiovascular diseases.

Conclusions:

  • miRNAs are pivotal in controlling cardiomyocyte fate during cardiovascular insults.
  • Targeting specific miRNAs offers potential therapeutic strategies for managing heart failure and myocardial infarction.
  • Further research into miRNA-mediated cell death mechanisms is warranted for novel treatment development.
Keywords:
apoptosisautophagycardiomyocytescell deathheart failureischemia/reperfusionmyocardial infarctionnecrosisnon-coding RNA

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