Progress in study of microRNA in inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic intestinal inflammatory disease, and its etiology has not yet been clarified. Recent studies have shown that expressions of microRNA (miRNA) were frequently altered in serum and intestinal tissue of patients with IBD, and the aberrant miRNA expressions are correlated with the disease activity and site of lesion, etc. miRNA plays a role in the diagnosis and exploring disease pathogenesis of IBD, as well as its targeted therapy. This article reviewed the aberrant miRNA expressions in patients with IBD in order to clarify the role of miRNA in the pathogenesis and development of IBD, and to further provide the evidence for its clinical application.