Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of and morbidity and mortality across the world for both genders in all races, and imposes an ever-growing socioeconomic burden to healthcare systems. Formation and progression of atherosclerotic plaque, rupture of a vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque or adverse myocardial remodeling after ischemic injury, inflammation is one of the key mediators of cardiovascular complications.

Although in the 21th century, considerable progress has been made in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of CVD, but there is still a critical need for novel diagnostic biomarkers and new therapeutic interventions to decrease the cardiovascular disease incidence are ongoing. Microribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are highly specific, endogenous, small (~22 nucleotides), single-stranded, noncoding RNAs that regulate the rate of protein synthesis at the posttranscriptional level by binding to the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) through altering the stability of the targeted mRNAs. It has been well established that miRNAs are critically regulating all cardiovascular biological functions and altered miRNAs expressions significantly involving various cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, cardiovascular-enriched up-regulated and down-regulated circulatory miRNAs have a significant impact on the diagnosis and prognosis of CVD. Several basic and clinical research studies demonstrated that various miRNAs are directly linked with every step of atherogenesis including endothelial cell dysfunction and endothelial injury through modifying of various cytokines, interleukins, and cellular constituents of the inflammatory response. However, recently several excellent studies showed that mimic or inhibition of certain miRNAs have significantly regulated the inflammatory process and prevents cellular damage through controlling target gene expression, and they suggested therapeutics application for cardiovascular diseases, but still it is on the primary stage requiring more animal and human larger clinical trials.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide a platform for researchers to exhibit their original investigations focused on miRNAs that will associate either directly or indirectly with inflammatory mediators in cardiovascular diseases. A better understanding of the inflammatory response may result in improved therapeutic strategies, since previous anti-inflammatory agents were not successful or even detrimental in patients. Our aim is to collect original research articles, review articles, clinical, and experimental studies interrogating the molecular mechanisms or clinical translation of miRNAs underlying cardiovascular diseases, including but not limited to stable coronary artery disease, unstable coronary artery disease, acute coronary syndrome, acute myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias, hypertension and heart failure.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• The miRNAs related with inflammatory mediators in cardiovascular diseases
• Relationship between cytokines and miRNAs in cardiovascular diseases
• Inflammatory miRNAs linked to cardiovascular diseases
• The role of miRNAs in endothelial injury and repair
• The miRNAs, inflammation and atherosclerosis
• The miRNAs, lipid disorders and inflammation in ischemic heart diseases
• The miRNAs and chronic inflammation due to hypertension
• The miRNAs, cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure
• Circulating miRNAs as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for cardiovascular diseases
• Therapeutic role of miRNAs in cardiovascular diseases