Abstract
Chronic diseases are the major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and have shown increasing incidence rates among children in the last decades. Chronic illnesses in the pediatric population, even if well managed, affect social, psychological, and physical development and often limit education and active participation and increase the risk for health complications. The significant pediatric morbidity and mortality rates caused by chronic illnesses call for serious efforts toward better understanding of the pathogenesis of these disorders. Recent studies have shown the involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in various aspects of major pediatric chronic non-neoplastic diseases. This review focuses on the role of miRNAs in four major pediatric chronic diseases including bronchial asthma, diabetes mellitus, epilepsy and cystic fibrosis. We intend to emphasize the importance of miRNA-based research in combating these major disorders, as we believe this approach will result in novel therapies to aid securing normal development and to prevent disabilities in the pediatric population.
Highlights
The prevalence of children with chronic illnesses varies widely with an overall rate of 10% to 20% [1] and is expected to increase further
Loss of Dicer in neurons or astrocytes results in miRNA downregulation, neuronal dysfunction, apoptosis, seizures, and cognitive deficits [100]. This observation was confirmed by a study showing reduced mature miRNAs levels in the human temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) as a result of Dicer loss [101]. These findings suggest that loss of Dicer and failure of mature miRNA expression may be a feature of the pathophysiology of hippocampal sclerosis (HS) in patients with TLE and future efforts might be directed to determining whether restitution of Dicer to such tissue restores mature miRNA production and influences the epileptic phenotype
We found in our study that brain-specific miR-124 and miR-134 were upregulated in the seizure related stages of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) in immature rat model and children with MTLE, suggesting that downregulation of these miRNAs may have anti-convulsive effects [104]
Summary
The prevalence of children with chronic illnesses varies widely with an overall rate of 10% to 20% [1] and is expected to increase further. Childhood chronic illnesses represent a major challenge and burden for affected families and the health care system. Many chronically ill children grow up in hospitals and live a life far from normal due to recurrent hospitalizations. They often show growth retardation as a result of the illness itself or its pharmacological treatment options. There is a wealth of evidence on the diverse role of miRNAs in many biological processes, including proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and development. The list of diseases in which dysregulation of miRNAs has been implicated is constantly growing and includes major pediatric chronic non-neoplastic diseases. We recently reviewed the role of miRNAs in pediatric central nervous system and cardiovascular diseases including congenital heart diseases [2, 3]. Three hundred million people are suffering from asthma worldwide, over 22 million
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
