Chronic
inflammation is involved in the onset and development of many diseases, including
obesity,
atherosclerosis,
type 2 diabetes,
osteoarthritis, autoimmune and degenerative diseases,
asthma,
periodontitis, and
cirrhosis. The
inflammation process is mediated by
chemokines,
cytokines, and different inflammatory cells. Although the molecules and mechanisms that regulate this primary defense mechanism are not fully understood, recent findings offer a putative role of noncoding RNAs, especially
microRNAs (
miRNAs), in the progression and management of the inflammatory response. These noncoding RNAs are crucial for the stability and maintenance of gene expression patterns that characterize some cell types, tissues, and biologic responses. Several
miRNAs, such as miR-126, miR-132, miR-146, miR-155, and miR-221, have emerged as important transcriptional regulators of some
inflammation-related mediators. Additionally, little is known about the involvement of long noncoding RNAs, long intergenic noncoding RNAs, and
circular RNAs in
inflammation-mediated processes and the homeostatic imbalance associated with metabolic disorders. These noncoding RNAs are emerging as
biomarkers with diagnosis value, in prognosis protocols, or in the personalized treatment of
inflammation-related alterations. In this context, this review summarizes findings in the field, highlighting those noncoding RNAs that regulate
inflammation, with emphasis on recognized mediators such as TNF-α,
IL-1,
IL-6,
IL-18,
intercellular adhesion molecule 1,
VCAM-1, and
plasminogen activator inhibitor 1. The down-regulation or antagonism of the noncoding RNAs and the administration of exogenous
miRNAs could be, in the near future, a promising therapeutic strategy in the treatment of
inflammation-related diseases.