miRNAs as biomarkers in pneumonia and COPD-exacerbation

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory RNA molecules. Their dysregulation has been associated with many inflammation-mediated diseases. In recent years, miRNAs have been recognized as important post-transcriptional regulators of the innate immune response. Their property to be stable and detectable in almost all body fluids makes them attractive new biomarker candidates. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. An abrupt onset of severe illness, the lack of identification of the relevant pathogenic agent in the majority of the episodes and the difficulty to distinguish…