Topics and Trends in Most Cited MicroRNA in disease regulation Papers

Ranked by citations 18 months after publication

Class of 2026 (Papers Published in 2024)

What topics and trends defined most-cited MicroRNA in disease regulation research in the Class of 2026?

The Class of 2026 in MicroRNA research is heavily defined by its mechanistic focus on the tumor microenvironment and extracellular vesicles. High-throughput RNA sequencing has surged as the primary profiling tool, while studies increasingly integrate microRNAs with other non-coding RNAs like circular and long non-coding RNAs to decode complex regulatory networks.

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Updated July 19, 2026

At a glance

Field
MicroRNA in disease regulation
Cohort label
Class of 2026 (2024 publications)
Papers analyzed
11,173
Papers ranked
20
Top topics in ranked papers
Tumor microenvironment, RNA sequencing, extracellular vesicles, circular RNA
Publication window
Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
Eligibility
Research articles; reviews excluded
Citation window
18 months post-publication
18m citation range
37–178
Data source
OpenAlex · Retrieved June 2026
License
CC BY 4.0

Rankings

20 papers ranked by 18-month citation count

#1 of 11,173
17818m citations

miRTarBase 2025: updates to the collection of experimentally validated microRNA–target interactions

Shidong Cui et al.Nucleic Acids Research202410.1093/nar/gkae1072

Liang WangThe Chinese University of Hong Kong, China

MiRNA-target interactionsmiRTarBaseexperimentally validated MTIsmiRNA-mRNA networksmiRNA-miRNA networksdrug resistancepredictive biomarkerssafety biomarkersmonitoring biomarkerstoxicity assessmentoxidized miRNA sequencesoxidative modificationsLLAMA3 modelNLP pipelineprompt engineeringMiRNA-disease associationco-regulatory miRNAstherapeutic agentsmolecular oncologydrug development
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#2 of 11,173
15418m citations

Harnessing extracellular vesicle heterogeneity for diagnostic and therapeutic applications

Randy P Carney, Rachel R Mizenko et al.Nature Nanotechnology202410.1038/s41565-024-01774-3

Randy P. Carney, Steven C. GeorgeUniversity of California, Davis, United States

extracellular vesiclesEV heterogeneitydiagnostic applicationstherapeutic applicationsEV subpopulationsbiomarker discoveryEV cargoEV isolation methodsEV characterizationtargeted EV deliveryEV engineeringLiquid biopsydrug delivery vehiclesEV surface markerstissue-specific EVs
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#3 of 11,173
12918m citations

The biogenesis and regulation of animal microRNAs

Haedong Kim, Young-Yoon Lee et al.Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology202410.1038/s41580-024-00805-0

Haedong Kim, Young-Yoon LeeInstitute for Basic Science, South Korea

MiRNA biogenesisDroshaDICERDGCR8pri-miRNApre-miRNARISC complexArgonaute proteinsMiRNA processingRNase IIImicroRNA regulationcanonical pathwaynon-canonical pathwaysmiRNA maturationnuclear processingcytoplasmic processingExportin-5miRNA target recognitionmiRNA seed sequencepost-transcriptional regulation
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#4 of 11,173
8318m citations

Exosome circATP8A1 induces macrophage M2 polarization by regulating the miR-1-3p/STAT6 axis to promote gastric cancer progression

Cuncan Deng, Mingyu Huo, Hongwu Chu, Xiaomei Zhuang et al.Molecular Cancer202410.1186/s12943-024-01966-4

Leli Zeng, Jia Li, Changhua Zhang, Hengxing ChenSun Yat-Sen University, China

circATP8A1exosomesM2 macrophage polarizationmiR-1-3pSTAT6 pathwaygastric cancertumor microenvironmentCircular RNACompeting endogenous RNAFluorescence In Situ HybridizationRNA immunoprecipitationRNA pulldownLuciferase reporter assayTNM stagecancer cell-macrophage communicationtumor-associated macrophagesPrognostic biomarkerCell invasion
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#6 of 11,173
6418m citations

miRNATissueAtlas 2025: an update to the uniformly processed and annotated human and mouse non-coding RNA tissue atlas

Shusruto Rishik et al.Nucleic Acids Research202410.1093/nar/gkae1036

Shusruto RishikSaarland University, Germany

MicroRNANon-coding RNAmiRNATissueAtlasHomo sapiensMus musculustissue-specific expressionuniform pre-processinglabel harmonizationtissue specificity indexextracellular vesiclescell linescross-species comparisonncRNA expression atlastranslational research resourcemiRNA expression datasets
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#7 of 11,173
5618m citations

Integrative analysis of genomic and epigenomic regulation reveals miRNA mediated tumor heterogeneity and immune evasion in lower grade glioma

Zhen Yang, Xiaocen Liu, Hao Xu et al.Communications Biology202410.1038/s42003-024-06488-9

Zhen Yang, Kun Lv, Hui YangFudan University, China

MicroRNADNA methylationcopy number variationmiRNA expression dysregulationlower grade gliomaPromoter methylationIntegrative multi-omics analysisglioma subtypesimmune evasionmiRNA regulatory networkimmunotherapy responsecell migrationCell invasioncell proliferationtumor heterogeneityprognosis-related miRNAsImmune regulationpatient stratificationbiomarkers for immunotherapy
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#8 of 11,173
5118m citations

Laser-induced graphene (LIG)-based electrochemical microfluidic chip for simultaneous analysis of multiplex microRNAs

Xiaojuan Liu et al.Chemical Engineering Journal202410.1016/j.cej.2024.150233

Xiaojuan Liu, Feng LiQingdao Agricultural University, China

Laser-induced grapheneelectrochemical microfluidic chipmultiplex microRNA detectionmicroRNA analysissimultaneous detectionelectrochemical sensinggraphene electrodeslaser scribingmicrofluidic platformnucleic acid detectionPoint-of-care diagnosticsbiosensor fabricationmultiplexed biomarker detection
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#10 of 11,173
4618m citations

Exosomal miR-106a-5p from highly metastatic colorectal cancer cells drives liver metastasis by inducing macrophage M2 polarization in the tumor microenvironment

Yahang Liang, Junyu Li et al.Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research202410.1186/s13046-024-03204-7

Taiyuan Li, Xiong LeiNanchang University, China

exosomal miR-106a-5pcolorectal cancer liver metastasisM2 macrophage polarizationTumor microenvironment crosstalkSOCS6JAK2/STAT3 pathwayhnRNPA1single-cell RNA sequencingCD206exosome-mediated communicationmiRNA pull-downRNA immunoprecipitationLuciferase reporter assayplasma exosome biomarkerultracentrifugationnanoparticle tracking analysistransmission electron microscopymacrophage M2 phenotypeexosomal miRNA transportliver metastasis model
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#11 of 11,173
4518m citations

A heterogeneous information network learning model with neighborhood-level structural representation for predicting lncRNA-miRNA interactions

Bo-Wei Zhao et al.Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal202410.1016/j.csbj.2024.06.032

Bo-Wei Zhao, Xiaorui Su, Yue Yang, Dongxu Li, Guodong Li, Pengwei Hu, Xin Luo, Lun HuSouthwest University, China

lncRNA-miRNA interactionsheterogeneous information networkneighborhood-level structural representationHINLMIRepresentation learningbiological embeddingsnetwork topology embeddingsXGBoost classifierbiomolecular interaction integrationfive biomoleculesnine interactionsLong non-coding RNAMicroRNAComputational predictionnetwork-based prediction
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#12 of 11,173
4318m citations

Construction of circRNA–miRNA–mRNA ceRNA regulatory network and screening of diagnostic targets for tuberculosis

Xinyi Pu et al.Annals of Medicine202410.1080/07853890.2024.2416604

Guangyu XuBeihua University, China

tuberculosiscircRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA regulatory networkCompeting endogenous RNAmicroRNA response elementsRNA sequencingwhole blood sampleshas-miR-607IFNGhsa_circ_0000566hsa_circ_0001844hsa_circ_0005408hsa_circ_0007587hsa_circ_0086710diagnostic biomarkerscircRNA stabilityLiquid biopsydifferential expression analysis
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#13 of 11,173
4218m citations

Engineered extracellular vesicles for targeted reprogramming of cancer-associated fibroblasts to potentiate therapy of pancreatic cancer

Pengcheng Zhou et al.Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy202410.1038/s41392-024-01872-7

Yewei ZhangAffiliated Hospital of Nantong University, China

Engineered extracellular vesiclescancer-associated fibroblastsCAF reprogrammingtumor microenvironmentpancreatic cancerbone marrow mesenchymal stem cellsmiR-138-5ppirfenidoneintegrin α5-targeting peptidesFERMT2-TGFBR1 complexTGF-β signaling pathwayFERMT2-PYCR1 complexproline-mediated collagen synthesisorthotopic stroma-rich mouse modelpatient-derived xenograftgemcitabine perfusiontumor hypoxiachemotherapy sensitizationIEVs-PFD/138
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#14 of 11,173
4118m citations

Targeting delivery of miR-146a via IMTP modified milk exosomes exerted cardioprotective effects by inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway after myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury

Wan-Ting Meng et al.Journal of Nanobiotechnology202410.1186/s12951-024-02631-0

Guang JiShanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China

miR-146amilk exosomesIMTP (ischemic myocardium-targeted peptide)myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injuryNF-κB signaling pathwayelectroporationIRAK1TRAF6p-p65cardiomyocyte uptakeoxygen glucose deprivation/reperfusionmyocardial tissue apoptosisinflammatory factorscardiac functionoral administrationintravenous injectionexosome surface modificationRNase degradation protectiontargeted drug deliveryMiRNA therapy
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#15 of 11,173
4118m citations

RETRACTED: Exploring the molecular mechanisms of MSC-derived exosomes in Alzheimer's disease: Autophagy, insulin and the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway

Nesrine Ebrahim et al.Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy202410.1016/j.biopha.2024.116836

Nesrine Ebrahim, Hajer A. Al SaihatiBenha University, Egypt

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomesPI3K/AKT/mTOR pathwayautophagyamyloid-beta plaquestau phosphorylationAlCl3-induced AD modelrapamycin3-methyladeninechloroquineneurogenesisastrogliosismiR-21miR-155miRNA-17-5pmiRNA-126-3pneuroinflammationsynaptic functioncognitive declinememory impairment
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#16 of 11,173
4018m citations

Ginger exosome-like nanoparticle-derived miRNA therapeutics: A strategic inhibitor of intestinal inflammation

Ling Yan et al.Journal of Advanced Research202410.1016/j.jare.2024.04.001

Kangliang Sheng, Lei ZhengHefei University of Technology, China

ginger-derived exosome-like nanoparticlesGELNsosa-miR164dmacrophage polarizationTAB1NF-κB signaling pathwayIntestinal inflammationbiomimetic exosomesCross-kingdom communication3'-UTR targetingmicrofluidic mixing deviceRNA sequencingLuciferase reporter assayImmune regulationplant-derived miRNAosa-miR164d-MGELNs
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#17 of 11,173
3918m citations

M2 Tumor‐Associated Macrophages‐Derived Exosomal <i>MALAT1</i> Promotes Glycolysis and Gastric Cancer Progression

Yanzheng Wang et al.Advanced Science202410.1002/advs.202309298

Xiao-Xin Zhang, Jianmei Gu, Xu ZhangJiangsu University, China

M2 tumor-associated macrophagesM2 TAMs-derived exosomesMALAT1aerobic glycolysisgastric cancertumor microenvironmentδ-cateninβ-TRCPubiquitinationHIF1AmiR-217-5pβ-catenin signalingchemoresistanceexosome-mediated siRNA deliverydual-targeted inhibitioncancer cell proliferationMetastasis
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#18 of 11,173
3918m citations

Circulating miRNA panels as a novel non-invasive diagnostic, prognostic, and potential predictive biomarkers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Maryam Abdipourbozorgbaghi et al.British Journal of Cancer202410.1038/s41416-024-02831-3

Ramin Radpour, Simon HaefligerUniversity of Bern, Switzerland

Circulating miRNANon-small cell lung cancerLung adenocarcinomasquamous cell carcinomaLUSCmiR-9-3pmiR-96-5pmiR-196a-5pmiR-708-3pmiR-135b-5pmiR-31-5pmiR-205miR-183/96/182 clustermiR-767/105 clusteranti-PD-1 treatmentplasma biomarkersPrognostic biomarkerpredictive biomarkers
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#20 of 11,173
3718m citations

CircPPAP2B controls metastasis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma via HNRNPC-dependent alternative splicing and targeting the miR-182-5p/CYP1B1 axis

Zaosong Zheng, Xiangbo Zeng, Yuanchao Zhu et al.Molecular Cancer202410.1186/s12943-023-01912-w

Fei Li, Wanlong TanSouthern Medical University, China

circPPAP2Bclear cell renal cell carcinomaHNRNPCalternative splicingmiR-182-5pCYP1B1m6A-dependent interactionHNRNPC nuclear translocationnondegradable ubiquitinationHNRNPC/Vimentin/Importin α7 ternary complexPTBP1HNPNPKmiRNA spongeRNA pulldownMeRIPRNA immunoprecipitationRNA sequencingmetastatic ccRCC
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Dominant research themes and year-over-year shifts in MicroRNA in disease regulation

What Topics Define the Class of 2026?

In the Class of 2026 for MicroRNA in disease regulation, the tumor microenvironment emerges as a dominant focal point, appearing in roughly 16.6% of ranked papers. This highlights a strong emphasis on how microRNAs modulate cellular interactions within cancerous tissues. Methodologically, RNA sequencing and extracellular vesicles also take center stage, underscoring the field's shift towards high-throughput transcriptomics and intercellular communication via exosomes. Additionally, there is a prominent focus on related non-coding RNAs such as circular RNAs and long non-coding RNAs, which are frequently studied alongside microRNAs to map complex regulatory networks. Diagnostic applications remain robust, evidenced by the prevalence of liquid biopsy studies. Together, these themes reflect a comprehensive approach, linking microRNA molecular mechanisms with clinical diagnostics and tumor biology.

Leading research themes
Leading research themes

How Did Topics Shift from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026?

The transition from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026 reveals significant momentum in advanced molecular techniques and specific disease contexts. RNA sequencing experienced a dramatic rise, reflecting its becoming a standard tool for comprehensive microRNA profiling. The tumor microenvironment also saw substantial growth, increasing by over a log2 fold change of nearly 3, emphasizing a deeper investigation into how microRNAs shape immune evasion and tumor progression. Extracellular vesicles surged notably, pointing to an intensifying interest in how microRNAs are packaged and transported between cells. Conversely, broader topics like MiRNA-disease association plateaued or saw relative declines in prominence. This pattern suggests a maturation of the field: rather than merely establishing associations, current research increasingly prioritizes mechanistic dissection within the tumor microenvironment and extracellular delivery systems.

How topics shifted year over year
How topics shifted year over year
Methodology

PRI identifies high-impact research using a transparent, topic-agnostic framework applied consistently across scientific domains. Bibliographic records are drawn from OpenAlex, including publication dates, citation relationships, and document types.

This ranking covers the Class of 2026 cohort: journal articles published in 2024. Reviews and other non-article document types are excluded to ensure comparability.

Research impact is quantified with an 18-month post-publication citation window—the number of citing works published within 18 months of each paper's publication date. This metric captures early impact while controlling for publication age.

An LLM-based relevance classifier then reviews each candidate's title and abstract to confirm substantive alignment with the target domain. Only papers classified as relevant appear in the final ranking.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459

Full methodologyGitHubbioRxiv preprint

Cite this ranking

Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited MicroRNA in disease regulation Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/microrna-in-disease-regulation/2026. Accessed 2026-07-19.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459