MicroRNAs make big impression in disease after disease

Lately, microRNAs are garnering attention on the biomedical front, startling researchers with ever-expanding roles in disease. Studies show that microRNAs may offer a window into the development of various ailments, including cancer, diabetes, and heart failure, and provide a chance to strike disease targets that until now were unreachable. When poorly regulated, the molecules appear to drive cancer and a host of other diseases, and this could make them useful in diagnosing disease very early. MicroRNAs made by viruses, meanwhile, may help pathogens gain a foothold in their host, which could suggest new targets for antiviral drugs. MicroRNA-based therapeutic strategies are currently being considered.