J.Jpn. Surg. Soc.. 116(6): 378-383, 2015

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Feature topic

THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF MICRORNA IN THE FIELD OF CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY

Because the number of heart failure patients increases every year, improved prevention and treatment for damaged hearts are needed. Many investigators have explored new approaches to improve cardiac function, including cell transplantation and gene therapy. MicroRNAs comprise a novel class of endogenous, small, noncoding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression via degradation or translational inhibition of their target mRNAs. Recent studies have described microRNAs as fine-tuners of gene expression. New therapeutic strategies for heart failure using microRNAs such as cardiac reprogramming therapy by overexpression of microRNAs in murine infarcted hearts and prevention of cardiac remodeling using antagomirs in hypertensive rat models are promising technologies for future clinical application. Moreover, microRNAs could possibly function as biomarkers of heart failure. MicroRNA-145 is a specific mediator of the regulation of the vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype. We reported that transduction of microRNA-145 into vein grafts may be a novel option for preventing vein graft disease after surgical revascularization, since its transduction reduced neointimal thickness in the rabbit model of vein graft disease. Although several issues regarding microRNAs need to be overcome, their therapeutic potential holds considerable promise, and they will hopefully be combined with surgical strategies in the near future.

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