Abstract
miRNAs are short, nonprotein coding RNAs that regulate target gene expression principally by causing translational repression and/or mRNA degradation. miRNAs are involved in most mammalian biological processes and have pivotal roles in controlling the expression of factors involved in basal and stimulus-induced signaling pathways. Considering their central role in the regulation of gene expression, miRNAs represent therapeutic drug targets. Here we describe how miRNAs are involved in the regulation of aspects of innate immunity and inflammation, what happens when this goes awry, such as in the chronic inflammatory lung diseases cystic fibrosis and asthma, and discuss the current state-of-the-art miRNA-targeted therapeutics.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
Financial support for PJ McKiernan is gratefully acknowledged from the Health Research Board in Ireland under grant no. PHD/2007/11 and in the Cryan laboratory from Science Foundation Ireland for the Irish Drug Delivery Network (IDDN) under grant no. SFI 07/SRC/B1154 and HRB grant no. RP2005/117. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.