Bartel DP MicroRNAs: genomics, biogenesis, mechanism, and function. Cell. 2004 Jan 23;116(2):281-97. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(04)00045-5.
Catalanotto C, Cogoni C, Zardo G MicroRNA in Control of Gene Expression: An Overview of Nuclear Functions. Int J Mol Sci. 2016 Oct 13;17(10):1712. doi: 10.3390/ijms17101712.
Turchinovich A, Weiz L, Langheinz A, Burwinkel B Characterization of extracellular circulating microRNA. Nucleic Acids Res. 2011 Sep 1;39(16):7223-33. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkr254. Epub 2011 May 24.
Vickers KC, Palmisano BT, Shoucri BM, Shamburek RD, Remaley AT MicroRNAs are transported in plasma and delivered to recipient cells by high-density lipoproteins. Nat Cell Biol. 2011 Apr;13(4):423-33. doi: 10.1038/ncb2210. Epub 2011 Mar 20. Erratum In: Nat Cell Biol. 2015 Jan;17(1):104.
Wang K, Zhang S, Weber J, Baxter D, Galas DJ Export of microRNAs and microRNA-protective protein by mammalian cells. Nucleic Acids Res. 2010 Nov;38(20):7248-59. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkq601. Epub 2010 Jul 7.
Zhang Y, Liu YJ, Liu T, Zhang H, Yang SJ Plasma microRNA-21 is a potential diagnostic biomarker of acute myocardial infarction. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2016;20(2):323-9.
Zhu H, Fan GC Extracellular/circulating microRNAs and their potential role in cardiovascular disease. Am J Cardiovasc Dis. 2011 Jul 30;1(2):138-149.
The Use of miRNA Detection for Diagnostics of Cardiovascular Diseases
Interventional studies are often prospective and are specifically tailored to evaluate direct impacts of treatment or preventive measures on disease.
Observational studies are often retrospective and are used to assess potential causation in exposure-outcome relationships and therefore influence preventive methods.
Expanded access is a means by which manufacturers make investigational new drugs available, under certain circumstances, to treat a patient(s) with a serious disease or condition who cannot participate in a controlled clinical trial.
Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.
Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.