Identification of microRNAs in Scleroderma

硬皮病或系统性硬化症是一种使人衰弱的疾病，其特征是多个器官的纤维化，导致器官衰竭并最终死亡。目前没有治愈这种疾病的方法。我们开始发现一类新发现的分子，称为microRNA，调节许多疾病状态，但其在硬皮病中的作用尚未确定。我们在这项研究中的目的是确定microRNA中与疾病相关的变化，这些变化随后可能被用作治疗靶点。

Scleroderma or systemic sclerosis is a debilitating disease that is characterised by fibrosis of multiple organs leading to organ failure and eventually death. There is currently no cure for the disease. We are beginning to find that a newly-discovered class of molecules, called microRNAs, regulate many disease states but its role in scleroderma has not been established. We aim in this study to identify disease-related changes in microRNAs which may subsequently be used as therapeutic targets.