New Frontiers of microRNA in Heart Failure: From Clinical Risk to Therapeutic Applications

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) is an increasingly prevalent disease with a major impact on morbidity and mortality worldwide. Continuous advancements in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies have significantly improved patient outcomes; however, precise biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets are still needed. In recent years, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as promising biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in HF. They consist of small, noncoding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally and are detectable in both tissues and blood, with disease-specific expression profiles that make them attractive candidates for non-invasive diagnosis, prognostic risk stratification, and even therapeutic interventions. In HF, miRNAs contribute to pathogenesis by modulating fibrosis, apoptosis, hypertrophy, and inflammation. The aim of this review is to analyze the role of circulating and tissue miRNAs in HF as biomarkers and as therapeutic targets. The future management of HF should include strategies to modulate miRNA expression in order to modify the disease trajectory and improve clinical outcomes.

Keywords: biomarkers; diagnostics; heart failure; microRNA; pathogenesis; therapeutic perspective.

Figure 1

Production and mechanism of action of microRNAs.