The Role of MicroRNA-126 in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide despite all efforts made towards their management. Other than targeting the traditional risk factors for their development, scientific interest has been shifted towards epigenetic regulation, with microRNAs (miRs) being at the forefront. MiR-126, in particular, has been extensively studied in the context of cardiovascular diseases. Downregulated expression of this miR has been associated with highly prevalent cardiovascular risk factors such as arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus. At the same time, its diagnostic and prognostic capability concerning coronary artery disease is still under investigation, with up-to-date data pointing towards a dysregulated expression in a stable disease state and acute myocardial infarction. Moreover, a lower expression of miR-126 may indicate a higher disease complexity, as well as an increased risk for future major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. Ultimately, overexpression of miR-126 may emerge as a novel therapeutic target in atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases due to its potential in promoting therapeutic angiogenesis and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the existing challenges in miR therapeutics need to be resolved before translation to clinical practice.