Abstract
Rapid and correct diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) plays a crucial role in saving patients' life. Although some biomarkers (such as cardiac troponin and creatine kinase) are available for AMI diagnosis so far, there is still a clinical need for novel biomarkers, which can reliably rule in or rule out AMI immediately on admission. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are a potential choice for novel biomarkers in AMI diagnosis and prognosis with high sensitivity and specificity. Circulating microRNAs are endogenous miRNAs that are detectable in whole blood, serum, or plasma in a highly stable form. Until now, around 20 circulating miRNAs were reported to be closely associated with AMI. In this minireview, we summarized recent available data on the correlation between circulating miRNAs and AMI. Some miRNAs, such as miR-208, miR-499, miR-133, and miR-1, were given special attention, since they may have a potential prospect in diagnosis and prognosis of AMI.
Highlights
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a very common health problem in the developed as well as developing countries
Circulating miRNAs are resistant to endogenous ribonuclease activity and can be present in human plasma or serum in a remarkably stable form
It is believed that circulating miRNAs provide a novel class of minimal invasive biomarkers for Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) diagnosis
Summary
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a very common health problem in the developed as well as developing countries. In addition to expression changes in tissues, more recent studies have indicated that miRNAs are detectable in serum, plasma, urine, and other body fluids in a highly stable form that is protected from endogenous RNase activity [4]. This review will focus on a potential role of circulating miRNAs in diagnosis of AMI as novel biomarkers. In addition to microvesicles or exosomes, microparticles and lipoprotein complexes (such as high-density lipoprotein complexes) are other possible sources of circulating miRNAs. Microparticles are larger than exosomes of plasma membrane origin, contain miRNAs, and actively control cell communication process [15]. The detection of circulating miRNAs in the plasma and serum indicates that miRNAs may fulfill biological functions outside the cell and act as potential biomarkers for diseases [16]. The human genome is estimated to encode up to 1000 miRNAs and over 100 miRNAs in serum were identified from healthy subjects [17]
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