The Role of miR-138 in Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents the foremost cause of morbidity and mortality globally, posing a significant threat to human health. The regulatory mechanisms underlying CVD are still not fully elucidated. MicroRNA (miRNA), a class of noncoding short-chain RNA molecules, modulates individual genes or gene networks by binding to the complementary sequences of specific target genes, thereby influencing various biological processes including cell genesis, metabolism, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Among these, miR-138 plays a significant role in the onset and progression of CVDs. This article reviews the involvement of miR-138 in various cardiovascular conditions, including atherosclerosis (AS), myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/R), heart failure (HF), and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), thereby offering novel insights for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of CVDs.