MicroRNA 133 family (miR-133) (miR-133)

The MicroRNA 133 (miR-133) family is a group of highly conserved, muscle-specific microRNAs (myomiRs) that are essential for the development and maintenance of cardiac and skeletal muscle (PubMed: 28534641). This family, comprising miR-133a and miR-133b, regulates key processes such as myocyte proliferation, differentiation, and survival by targeting various signaling molecules like HDAC4 and RhoA (NCBI Gene: 406921). In cardiovascular pathology, miR-133 is frequently downregulated during cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, making it a target for replacement therapies using miRNA mimics (PubMed: 17468744). Conversely, its role as a tumor suppressor is well-documented in several cancers, including colorectal and lung cancer, where its expression is often lost (PubMed: 23561531). While therapeutic modulation of miR-133 holds promise for treating heart disease and malignancy, challenges such as off-target effects and the need for efficient, tissue-specific delivery systems remain significant hurdles in clinical development (PubMed: 30103478).

Other names

MIR133miR-133amiR-133bhsa-mir-133a-1hsa-mir-133a-2hsa-mir-133b

Post-transcriptional gene silencing via mRNA degradation or translational inhibition by binding to the 3' UTR of target mRNAs.