Fig. 5.

miRNAs regulate VSMC phenotypic transformations to influence vascular remodeling and homeostasis by regulating different pathophysiological aspects, thus affecting various cardiovascular disease processes. Vascular remodeling and homeostasis are key in many vascular diseases. miRNAs, as a class of small regulatory transcripts, can modulate the phenotypic transformation of VSMC to repair the balance between vascular function and injury by regulating the proliferation, migration and differentiation, oxidative stress and apoptosis, extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis, inflammation, and osteoblast differentiation and calcification of VSMVs. Therefore, miRNAs have considerable potential for targeted therapy and prevention in cardiovascular diseases, including thoracic aortic coarctation, atherosclerosis, aortic aneurysm, diabetes, vasculitis, osteoporosis, and coronary artery disease