MicroRNAs in heart and circulation during physical exercise

Exercise training is beneficial to the cardiovascular system. MicroRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) are a class of conserved non-coding RNAs and play a wide-ranging role in the regulation of eukaryotic gene expression. Exercise training alters the expression levels of large amounts of miRNAs in the heart. In addition, circulating miRNAs appear to be regulated by exercise training. In this review, we will summarize recent advances in the regulation of miRNAs during physical exercise intervention in various cardiovascular diseases, including pathologic cardiac hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis, ischemia-reperfusion injury, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. The regulatory role of circulating miRNAs after exercise training was also reviewed. In conclusion, miRNAs might be a valuable target for treatment of cardiovascular diseases and have great potential as biomarkers for assessment of physical performance.