PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Emmanuel T. Osei
AU  - Laura Florez-Sampedro
AU  - Wim Timens
AU  - Dirkje S. Postma
AU  - Irene H. Heijink
AU  - Corry-Anke Brandsma
TI  - Unravelling the complexity of COPD by microRNAs: it's a small world after all
AID  - 10.1183/13993003.02139-2014
DP  - 2015 Aug 06
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - ERJ-02139-2014
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2015/08/06/13993003.02139-2014.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2015/08/06/13993003.02139-2014.full
AB  - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease and is currently the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Chronic inflammation and repair processes in the small airways are characteristic of COPD. Despite extensive efforts from researchers and industry, there is still no cure for COPD, hence an urgent need for new therapeutic alternatives. MicroRNAs are such an option; they are small noncoding RNAs involved in gene regulation. Their importance has been shown with respect to maintaining the balance between health and disease. Although previous reviews have discussed the expression of microRNAs related to lung disease, a detailed discussion regarding the function of differential miRNA expression in the pathogenesis of COPD is lacking.In this review we link the expression of microRNAs to different features of COPD and explain their importance in the pathogenesis of this disease. We further discuss their potential to contribute to the development of future therapeutic strategies.Complexity of miRNAs in COPD: an up-to-date overview of the role of miRNAs in the different features of COPD http://ow.ly/Pk4FP