Symbol miR-208 Rfam RF00749 miRBase family MIPF0000178 | Alt. Symbols MIR208 miRBase MI0000251 Entrez 406990 | |
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miR-208 is a family of microRNA precursors found in animals, including humans. The ~22 nucleotide mature miRNA sequence is excised from the precursor hairpin by the enzyme Dicer. This sequence then associates with RISC which effects RNA interference.
Contents
In humans, the gene for miR-208 is located in an intron of MYH7.
Function
miR-208 has been deemed a "myomiR" as it is specifically expressed, or found at much higher levels, in cardiac tissue. Other myomiRs include miR-1 and miR-133. miR-208 is thought to be dysregulated in various cardiovascular diseases.
miR-208 functions in cardiomyocytes regulating the production of the myosin heavy chain during development. It also responds to stress and forms part of a hormonal signalling cascade in cardiac cells.
Applications
A preliminary study has shown a potential use in the prognosis of dilated cardiomyopathy. Another application has been suggested as using plasma concentration of miR-208 as a biomarker of damaged cardiac muscle cells.