MicroRNA-Mediated Regulation of Vascular Endothelium: From Pro-Inflammation to Atherosclerosis

Endothelial inflammation and atherosclerosis remain leading drivers of cardiovascular disease, yet the post-transcriptional regulators orchestrating these events are not yet completely understood. In this review, we analyse recent preclinical and clinical studies to dissect microRNA (miRNA)-mediated control of vascular endothelial biology. We describe how miR-181b-5p and miR-223 modulate NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis, how miR-615-5p, miR-138, and miR-133a coordinate endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity and nitric oxide bioavailability, and how miR-33a/b, miR-150, and miR-342-3p influence lipid efflux and foam-cell formation in atherogenesis. We also discuss miRNA signatures that correlate with endothelial dysfunction in human cohorts. By integrating mechanistic pathways with emerging biomarker data, this study underscores the relevance of miRNAs as both diagnostic and potential targets in vascular diseases.