miRNAs in inflammatory skin diseases and their clinical implications

Abstract

miRNAs are a class of non-coding RNA molecules that modulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. They have a major impact on several physiological and pathological cellular processes including modulation of the innate and the adaptive immune system. The role of miRNAs in skin biology is still incomplete; however, it is known that miRNAs are implicated in various cellular processes of both normal and diseased skin. Some miRNAs appear to be consistently deregulated in several different inflammatory skin diseases, including psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, indicating a common role in fundamental biological processes. The clinical implications of miRNAs are intriguing, both from a diagnostic and a therapeutic perspective. Accordingly, there is emerging evidence for the clinical potential of miRNAs as both biomarkers and possible therapeutic targets in skin diseases. Future studies will hopefully establish the biological significance of miRNAs in skin biology, paving the way for new miRNA-based diagnostic and therapeutic applications in dermatology.

Keywords:

• allergic contact dermatitis
• atopic dermatitis
• biomarkers
• miRNAs
• non-coding RNA
• psoriasis

Financial & competing interests disclosure

L Skov received consultancy and/or speaker honoraria from Abbott, Pfizer, Janssen-Cilag, MSD and LEO Pharma A/S and is a member of the Advisory Board of MDS, Novartis, Abbvie, Lilly, Amgen, Celgene and Janssen-Cilag. Furthermore, L Skov receives grants for research projects from LEO Pharma A/S, Pfizer, Novartis and Abbvie. 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.

Key issues

• miRNAs are an abundant class of highly conserved small non-coding RNA molecules that modulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level.

• miRNAs have been shown to be important for normal skin development.

• miRNA detection in skin is robust, irrespective of the preservation method.

• miRNAs have been implicated in the pathogenesis of various cutaneous diseases, including the inflammatory skin diseases psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis.

• The specific patterns of miRNA expression in skin can be used as biomarkers to differentiate benign skin diseases from malignant ones.

• miRNA may have the potential to serve as soluble biomarkers in blood for skin diseases such as psoriasis.

• The diagnostic and therapeutic potential of miRNAs remains in its infancy, but current developments in miRNA-based diagnostics and therapeutics in the field of dermatology are certainly promising.

Notes