Title:Role, Function and Therapeutic Potential of microRNAs in Vascular Aging
Volume: 13
Issue: 3
Author(s): Felix Jansen, Xiaoyan Yang, Georg Nickenig, Nikos Werner and Mariuca Vasa-Nicotera
Affiliation:
Keywords:
microRNA, vascular, ageing.
Abstract: Due to increased life expectancy in a growing world population, the impact of ageing on the
pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases will increase. Therefore, a better understanding of agerelated
biological changes is important and necessary to combat cardiovascular diseases in the future.
microRNAs (miRs) are small non coding RNAs emerging as key regulator in several vascular pathologies
such as atherosclerosis or hypertension, which show a clear association with increasing age.
This review discusses the involvement of miRs in several age-associated pathologies such as oxidative
stress, vascular inflammation, vascular tension, endothelial cell senescence and impaired angiogenesis.