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HEREDITAS(Beijing) ›› 2015, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (2): 121-127.doi: 10.16288/j.yczz.14-288

• Reviews • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Roles of miR-15b in endothelial cell function and their relevance to vascular diseases

Liangju Chen1,Ming Yang1,Yan Chen1,Huaqin Sun1,Wenming Xu1,2   

  1. 1. Joint Laboratory for Reproductive Medicine, SCU-CUHK; Key Laboratory of Obstetric & Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education; West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China;
    2. Department of Obstetric & Gynecologic Disease, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
  • Received:2014-08-29 Online:2015-02-20 Published:2015-01-19

Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are noncoding RNAs with a short length of about 22 nucleotides. As major modulators participating in RNA interference, they affect cellular behaviors by regulating the expression of diverse genes at post-transcriptional levels. miR-15b is a member of the miR-15/16 family, which is broadly expressed in major tissues and specially enriched in the endovascular system of human beings. miR-15/16 affects cellular proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and angiogenesis. In this review, we summarize the role and the underlying mechanism of miR-15b as well as other miR-15/16 family members in different cells, especially in endothelial cells. We focus on the diverse roles of miR-15b in the occurrence, progression and prognosis of vascular diseases, with particular emphasis on preeclampsia, a hypertensive disorder related to endovascular dysfunction in the placenta.

Key words: miR-15b, proliferation, invasion, tumor, preeclampsia