MicroRNAs in Sepsis

Abstract

Sepsis is an insidious and frequent condition of severe inflammation due to infections. Several biomarkers have been established for initial screening, but the non-specific nature of the existing biomarkers has led to the investigation of more sensitive and specific tools, such as microRNAs (miRs). These non-coding RNAs are involved in several diseases, including sepsis, due to their roles in cellular homeostasis. Herein, a literature overview was attempted to distinguish the most prominent miRs identified in septic conditions and their usefulness in diagnosis, prognosis and even classification of sepsis. miRs implicated in the regulation of pro and anti-inflammatory mechanisms, such as MIR-146a, MIR-155, MIR-181b, MIR-223-5p, MIR-494-3p, MIR-2055b, MIR-150 and MIR-143 have been pinpointed as acceptable testing tools. Furthermore, the use of miRs as screening panels, specific for septic parameters, such as type of causal infection, inflammation immune pathways affected (NF-kB, STAT/JACK), organs inflicted, as well as parallel screening of certain miRs alongside other long non-coding RNAs (LNCs), as co-regulators of sepsis progression. Overall, miRs exhibit benefits in terms of specificity and sensitivity, as well as practical ease of use and test stability. Furthermore, miRs could offer valuable insights into the molecular basis of disease causality and provide valuable therapeutic information.

Keywords

• sepsis
• non-coding RNAs
• microRNAs (miRs)
• inflammation
• immune response
• biomarkers