Year 2014 / Volume 106 / Number 5
Review
MicroRNAs: An epigenetic tool to study celiac disease

325-333

Karla A. Bascuñán Gamboa, Magdalena Araya Quezada y Francisco Pérez Bravo

Abstract
This article summarizes recent findings on the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in biological processes associated with the regulation of chronic inflammation and autoimmunity. miRNAs are small non-coding RNA molecules that have been recently emerged as a new class of modulators of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. MiRNAs bind to complementary sequences of specific targets of messengers RNA, which can interfere with protein synthesis. We reviewed studies that evaluated the expression patterns of miRNAs in different autoimmune diseases, especially in celiac disease (CD). CD is a chronic enteropathy triggered by gluten proteins, characterized by altered immune responses in genetically susceptible individuals that results in damage to the bowel mucosa. CD has a high prevalence and an effective treatment by a specific diet (“gluten free diet”). Genetic factors confer susceptibility but do not explain the whole disease, suggesting that environmental factors do play a relevant role in the development of the condition.
The evaluation of the potential role of miRNA is of particular interest in CD given that these epigenetic mechanisms in the pathogenesis of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases have been recently described. Improving our understanding of miRNAs in CD will contribute to clarify the role of altered epigenetic regulation in the development and course of this disease.
Share Button
New comment
Comments
No comments for this article
Related articles
Citation tools
Karla A. Bascuñán Gamboa, Magdalena Araya Quezada y Francisco Pérez Bravo. MicroRNAs: An epigenetic tool to study celiac disease. 325-333


Download to a citation manager

Download the citation for this article by clicking on one of the following citation managers:

Metrics
This article has received 657 visits.
This article has been downloaded 13 times.
Share
This article has been rated by 1 readers.
Reader rating:
Valora este artículo:




Asociación Española de Ecografía Digestiva Sociedad Española de Endoscopia Digestiva Sociedad Española de Patología Digestiva
The Spanish Journal of Gastroenterology is the official organ of the Sociedad Española de Patología Digestiva, the Sociedad Española de Endoscopia Digestiva and the Asociación Española de Ecografía Digestiva
Cookie policy Privacy Policy Legal Notice © Copyright 2023 y Creative Commons. The Spanish Journal of Gastroenterology