The Sydney Head and Neck Cancer Institute and Sydney Cancer Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.
Head Neck. 2010 Aug;32(8):1099-111. doi: 10.1002/hed.21356.
A new class of regulatory molecules known as microRNAs (miRNAs) is redefining our understanding of the molecular pathways associated with tumorigenesis. These miRNAs are small noncoding RNA (ncRNA) sequences with potent regulatory potential. The aberrant expression of miRNAs has been associated with the development of various tumors. It has been suggested that miRNAs can both regulate and act as tumor-suppressor genes and oncogenes. Our understanding of the role of miRNAs in head and neck tumorigenesis is in its infancy. However, several recent studies have revealed extensive dysregulation of miRNA in head and neck tumors and have highlighted the potential of certain miRNAs to act as diagnostic and prognostic markers and targets for new therapeutic agents. The intent of this review is to discuss and summarize current findings that point to a significant role for miRNAs in head and neck tumorigenesis.
一类新的调控分子，即 microRNAs（miRNAs），正在重新定义我们对与肿瘤发生相关的分子途径的理解。这些 miRNAs 是具有强大调控潜力的小非编码 RNA（ncRNA）序列。miRNAs 的异常表达与各种肿瘤的发生有关。有人认为，miRNAs 既可以作为肿瘤抑制基因和癌基因进行调控，也可以作为肿瘤抑制基因和癌基因发挥作用。我们对 miRNAs 在头颈部肿瘤发生中的作用的认识还处于起步阶段。然而，最近的几项研究揭示了 miRNA 在头颈部肿瘤中的广泛失调，并强调了某些 miRNA 作为诊断和预后标志物以及新治疗药物靶点的潜力。本文的目的是讨论和总结目前的研究结果，这些结果表明 miRNAs 在头颈部肿瘤发生中起着重要作用。
