Research led by the Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has identified a small RNA molecule called microRNA-21 as a therapeutic target and its inhibition as a potential treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). An inflammatory lung disease that makes it hard to breathe, COPD is often caused by smoking tobacco products or inhaling air pollution. It is the third most common cause of death in the world. In the pre-clinical study, the researchers found elevated levels of microRNA-21 in experimental COPD models involving mice. Use of a microRNA-21 inhibitor (antagomir-21) as a therapeutic treatment was shown...