Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 10, 2025

Perturbations of Circulating miRNAs in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Detected Using a Multiplexed High-throughput Gene Expression Platform
10:37

Perturbations of Circulating miRNAs in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Detected Using a Multiplexed High-throughput Gene Expression Platform

Published on: November 30, 2016

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miRNA Molecules-Late Breaking Treatment for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases?

Ioanna Aggeletopoulou1,2, Athanasia Mouzaki1, Konstantinos Thomopoulos2

  • 1Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|February 11, 2023
PubMed

Insights

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Research shows miRNAs offer promising therapeutic potential for treating IBD by targeting inflammation and improving gut health.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), involve chronic intestinal inflammation.
  • Developing effective treatments to maintain remission in IBD remains a significant challenge due to the diseases' complex origins.
  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as critical epigenetic regulators in various diseases, including IBD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of miRNA roles in IBD pathogenesis.
  • To explore the therapeutic potential of miRNAs for IBD treatment.
  • To summarize preclinical and clinical evidence for miRNA-based therapies in IBD.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing studies on miRNAs in IBD.
  • Analysis of research on miRNA regulation of inflammation, barrier integrity, and fibrosis in IBD models.
  • Examination of translational data from clinical IBD studies.

Main Results:

  • miRNAs significantly influence inflammatory responses in the gut.
  • miRNAs play a role in maintaining intestinal barrier function.
  • miRNAs are implicated in the development of fibrosis in IBD.

Conclusions:

  • miRNAs demonstrate considerable potential as innovative therapeutic targets for IBD.
  • Evidence from preclinical and clinical studies supports the use of miRNA-based therapies.
  • Further research is needed to address outstanding questions for successful clinical translation.
Keywords:
Crohn’s diseaseinflammatory bowel diseasemicroRNAstherapeutic targetsulcerative colitis

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