MicroRNA Modulation in Allergic Airway Inflammation
Summary
Allergic airway inflammation is typified by bronchial hyperreactivity, eosinophil infiltration and a skewed T helper 2 (Th2) immune response leading to chronic inflammation and airway remodelling. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-coding RNAs that fine-tune gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and orchestrate key signalling pathways in the lung. Dysregulated miRNA networks have been implicated in all stages of allergic responses, from epithelial cell activation to cytokine secretion and immune cell recruitment. Specific miRNAs such as miR-21, miR-146a and let-7 family members have been shown to modulate Th1/Th2 balance, regulate eosinophil survival and influence structural cell behaviour, including smooth muscle hypertrophy and extracellular matrix deposition. Beyond elucidating pathogenesis, miRNA profiling in bodily fluids and exosomes offers a non-invasive window into disease endotypes, with potential to inform patient stratification and guide the development of targeted therapies.
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MicroRNA Modulation in Allergic Airway Inflammation publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in microrna modulation in allergic airway inflammation across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
MicroRNA: Short non-coding RNA molecule (18–22 nucleotides) that regulates gene expression by targeting messenger RNA for degradation or translational repression.
Exosome: Small extracellular vesicle (30–150 nm) released by cells, containing proteins, lipids and RNAs, which facilitates intercellular communication.
Th2 cell: Subset of T helper lymphocytes that produce cytokines such as interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, driving eosinophilic inflammation in allergic disease.
Eosinophil: Granular white blood cell implicated in allergic inflammation, capable of releasing cytotoxic mediators that contribute to tissue damage and airway hyperresponsiveness.
Cytokine: Small protein secreted by immune cells to modulate inflammation and cell signalling, examples include interleukins and interferons relevant to asthma pathogenesis.
References
- Circulating miRNAs act as potential biomarkers for asthma. Frontiers in Immunology (2023).
- Circulating miRNAs associate with historical childhood asthma hospitalization in different serum vitamin D groups. Respiratory Research (2024).
- MiRNA and Exosomal miRNA as New Biomarkers Useful to Phenotyping Severe Asthma. Biomolecules (2023).
- Advances and Highlights of miRNAs in Asthma: Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Treatment. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
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