Evidence mapPaperPMID 41596647Full record

SynthesisInternational journal of molecular sciences2026

Non-Coding RNA Profile in the Progression of Carotid Atherosclerosis: A Systematic Review.

Gemma Sardelli, Pasquale Bufano, Rosetta Ragusa, Marco Laurino, Gabriele Masini, Luna Gargani, Danilo Neglia, Raffaele De Caterina, Chiara Caselli

Abstract readSystematic ReviewReview
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International journal of molecular sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Gemma SardelliInstitute of Clinical Physiology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), 56124 Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-3617-0496
Pasquale BufanoInstitute of Clinical Physiology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), 56124 Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-4456-1101
Rosetta RagusaInstitute of Clinical Physiology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), 56124 Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-6914-6089
Marco LaurinoInstitute of Clinical Physiology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), 56124 Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-4798-5196
Gabriele MasiniUniversity of Pisa, Cardiovascular Division 1, Pisa University Hospital, 56124 Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-4220-3271
Luna GarganiUniversity of Pisa, Cardiovascular Division 1, Pisa University Hospital, 56124 Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-0716-453X
Danilo NegliaFondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, 56124 Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-0016-9538
Raffaele De CaterinaUniversity of Pisa, Cardiovascular Division 1, Pisa University Hospital, 56124 Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-1637-574X
Chiara CaselliInstitute of Clinical Physiology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), 56124 Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-6705-2460

Funding

NextGenerationEU-PNRR-M6-C2-Investment 2.1 Enhancement and strengthening of biomedical research in the NHS HURRICANE-PNRR-MAD-2022-12376550PNRR-M4-C2-Investment 1.1 PRIN2022 CAMP-ACTIVE-2022J72T4X
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Carotid atherosclerosis remains one of the primary etiological factors underlying ischemic stroke, contributing to adult neurological disability and mortality. In recent years, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have emerged as key regulators of gene expression, actively modulating molecular pathways involved in atherogenesis. This systematic review, the first to be exclusively focused on carotid atherosclerosis, aimed at synthesizing current findings on the differential expression of ncRNAs throughout the natural history of the disease, thus providing the first comprehensive attempt to delineate a stage-specific ncRNA expression profile in carotid disease. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus databases in January 2025, following PRISMA guidelines. Original studies involving human subjects with carotid atherosclerosis, evaluating the expression of intracellular or circulating ncRNAs, were included and then categorized according to their association with cardiovascular risk factors, carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), presence of atherosclerotic plaques, plaque vulnerability, clinical symptoms, and ischemic stroke. Out of 148 articles initially identified, 49 met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed in depth. Among the different classes of ncRNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs) were the most frequently reported as dysregulated, followed by circular RNAs (circRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Notably, the majority of identified ncRNAs were implicated in key pathogenic mechanisms such as inflammatory signaling, vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotypic modulation, and ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux. Collectively, the evidence underscores the association and possible involvement of ncRNAs in the initiation and progression of carotid atherosclerosis and its cerebrovascular complications. Their relative stability in biological fluids and cell-specific expression profiles highlight their strong potential as minimally invasive biomarkers and-possibly-novel therapeutic targets.

Indexed as

Carotid Artery DiseasesRNA, UntranslatedCarotid Intima-Media ThicknessDisease ProgressionGene Expression RegulationHumansMicroRNAsPlaque, AtheroscleroticRNA, CircularRNA, Long NoncodingMicroRNAsRNA, CircularRNA, Long NoncodingRNA, Untranslatedbiomarkerscarotid atherosclerosiscarotid plaqueischemic strokenon-coding RNA

Identifiers

PMID41596647
PMCPMC12842102

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.