MicroRNA Modulation in Platelet Function and Cardiovascular Disease

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that fine-tune gene expression by binding messenger RNAs and inhibiting translation or promoting degradation. Within platelets and their precursor cells, megakaryocytes, miRNAs regulate key aspects of haemostasis and thrombosis, including platelet activation, aggregation and secretion. Distinct miRNA signatures have been identified in resting versus activated platelets, highlighting roles for miR-223, miR-126, miR-21 and others in modulating receptor expression, intracellular signalling and cytoskeletal rearrangements. Beyond direct effects on platelet reactivity, miRNAs contribute to thromboinflammatory processes, vascular cell cross-talk and plaque stability. Advances in high-throughput profiling and functional assays have revealed miRNA networks that govern thrombopoiesis, influence thrombus formation and correlate with cardiovascular outcomes. These insights pave the way for therapeutic modulation of specific miRNAs to restore antithrombotic balance, and for exploiting circulating miRNA panels as biomarkers to predict risk, monitor treatment efficacy and guide personalised cardiovascular care.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies in a zebrafish thrombocyte model identified let-7b, miR-223 and mir-7148 as repressors of thrombopoiesis through regulation of a network of transcription factors including tgif1, irf5 and ikzf1. Functional knockdowns of these miRNAs increased thrombocyte counts and accelerated thrombosis in larval and adult assays, uncovering conserved mechanisms by which multiple miRNAs converge on transcriptional programmes to control platelet production and activity. This work expands the mechanistic understanding of miRNA-mediated regulation in haemostatic balance and suggests novel targets for antithrombotic intervention.

MicroRNA Modulation in Platelet Function and Cardiovascular Disease publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in microrna modulation in platelet function and cardiovascular disease across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

microRNA (miRNA): Short non-coding RNA molecules (∼22 nucleotides) that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally by binding to complementary sequences in target mRNAs.

Thrombopoiesis: The physiological process of platelet production from megakaryocytes in the bone marrow, involving cytoplasmic maturation and proplatelet formation.

Megakaryocyte: A large bone marrow cell that undergoes endomitosis and cytoplasmic development to generate platelets through proplatelet extensions.

Biomarker: A measurable indicator of a biological state or condition, used for diagnosis, prognosis or monitoring of treatment responses.

Thromboinflammation: The interconnected processes by which inflammatory responses and thrombosis amplify each other, contributing to vascular pathology.

References

1. Inflammatory microRNAs in cardiovascular pathology: another brick in the wall. Frontiers in Immunology (2023).
2. Role of microRNAs and their downstream target transcription factors in zebrafish thrombopoiesis. Scientific Reports (2023).
3. Expression Patterns of MiR-125a and MiR-223 and Their Association with Diabetes Mellitus and Survival in Patients with Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome. Biomedicines (2023).
4. microRNAs as Promising Biomarkers of Platelet Activity in Antiplatelet Therapy Monitoring. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2020).