Chapter 12 - Implications of miRNA in autoimmune and inflammatory skin diseases

Abstract

Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding ribonucleic acids (RNAs) that play a critical role in the posttranscriptional regulation of the protein synthesis via directly modulating the expression of coding messenger RNA (mRNA). miRNAs are found ubiquitously in all cells, and some miRNAs show a tissue-specific expression pattern. The role of miRNA is implicated in various biological processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and cell death. In recent years, miRNAs have gained wide attention as disease biomarkers, and their role has been suggested in various types of cancer, autoimmune, inflammatory, and infectious diseases. Skin is a highly dynamic organ that undergoes constant renewal processes, and there is substantial evidence suggesting the role of miRNA in skin homeostasis. miRNAs are known to regulate various aspects of skin biology such as cutaneous cell development and regeneration, aging, hair growth, and skin pigment regulation. The current chapter will provide insight on skin biology and role of miRNAs in maintaining skin homeostasis and disease development with special reference to the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of some commonly known autoimmune and inflammatory skin diseases along with the importance of miRNAs as disease biomarkers and future therapeutic targets.