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Extracellular MicroRNAs as Putative Biomarkers of Air Pollution Exposure
Citation:
Chen, H., G. Smith, S. Masood, AND H. Tong. Extracellular MicroRNAs as Putative Biomarkers of Air Pollution Exposure. Edition 1, Chapter 1, Patel, V.B., Preedy, V.R., Rajendram, R. (eds) (ed.), Biomarkers in Disease: Toxicology. Springer Basel AG, Basel, Switzerland, , 1-24, (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-87225-0_28-1
Impact/Purpose:
This book chapter reviews current literature on the role of extracellular microRNAs in air pollution-induced health effects and discusses the possibility of utilizing them as potential biomarkers for air pollution exposure.
Description:
Air pollution is a global environmental and public health issue. Exposure to air pollution is associated with elevated risk of morbidity and mortality from respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases. Following exposure to air pollution, the lung and other organ systems mount a variety of physiological and pathological responses that can promote either homeostasis or disease. There is compelling evidence for epigenetic regulation of these biological responses by small, approximately 22-nucleotide-long microRNA (miRNA). MiRNA released from cells can act as intercellular messengers, relaying biological signals to nearby or systemic tissues or cells through post-transcriptional regulation, leading to biological changes. Because they are accessible for sampling from biological fluids, extracellular miRNA can be leveraged as biomarkers for mechanistic investigation of air pollution-induced health effects. In addition, specific environmental challenges or disease states present unique profiles of extracellular miRNA, which may provide a sensitive indicator of air pollution exposure as well as disease outcomes. It is possible to utilize extracellular miRNAs as biomarkers for exposure assessment, mechanistic investigation, and disease outcome prediction. This chapter delves into current literature and discusses miRNA measurement methods, air pollutant-specific effects on miRNA expression, miRNA’s role in air pollution-induced health effects, and the possibility of miRNAs as markers of air pollution exposure.
