miRNA in Patients With Thoracic, Abdominal and Intracranial Aneurysms

MicroRNAs constitute a recently discovered class of non-coding RNAs that play key roles in the regulation of gene expression. Acting at the post-transcriptional level, MicroRNAs have been shown to be involved in a wide range of biological processes such as cell cycle control, apoptosis and several developmental and physiological processes including stem cell differentiation, hematopoiesis, hypoxia, cardiac and skeletal muscle development. In addition to their important roles in healthy individuals, microRNAs have also been implicated in a number of diseases including a broad range of cancers, cardiovascular and heart disease. Their different expression in aortic tissue in patients with aortic abdominal aneurysm and their association with the progression of the disease were confirmed. They represent the potential target for the treatment of the disease. MiRNA act as biomarkers showing the potential risk of the presence of TAA, AAA and intracranial aneurysm, for the prediction of TAA and AAA progression and for the discovery of new treatment possibilities.