The Emerging Roles of MicroRNAs as Biomarkers in Diabetic Nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most common complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), as well as the most common health issue among End Stage Renal Diseases (ESRD). Recent studies have shown that this concern will likely to become a global phenomenon in the future. Early diagnosis of DN is vital for its treatment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are the most promising for new biomarker candidates proposed for DN. MiRNAs, known as non protein-coding short-chain RNA sequences, have a regulatory role in many cellular events. Advances in molecular genetics and successful genomic techniques allow miRNAs to be used in the diagnosis of several diseases. As the DN diagnostic markers used today are insufficient for some cases, identifying new diagnostic markers is the basis of recent studies. Successful use of miRNAs in the areas of cancer, immunity and diabetes indicates that the DN perspective should be based on miRNA. In this review, miRNAs and their role in DN will be reviewed.