Department of Pathology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, The Netherlands.
J Pathol. 2011 Aug;224(4):438-47. doi: 10.1002/path.2922. Epub 2011 Jun 27.
Metastatic disease is the major cause of death in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. The metastatic process is highly inefficient and comprises multiple sequential steps. While many genetic factors relevant in this process have already been identified, the epigenetic factors underlying each step still remain obscure. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators in tumourigenesis, but their role in the development of cancer metastasis is poorly investigated. The majority of miRNAs involved in the metastatic process have been identified in breast cancer cell lines, and in CRC less data are available. We review the role of miRNAs in the metastatic pathway of CRC, including escape of apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, and invasion. Better understanding of the complex role of miRNAs in the development of CRC metastases may provide new insights that could be of therapeutic consequence.
转移性疾病是结直肠癌（CRC）患者死亡的主要原因。转移过程效率极低，包含多个连续步骤。虽然已经确定了许多与该过程相关的遗传因素，但每个步骤背后的表观遗传因素仍不清楚。MicroRNAs（miRNAs）是肿瘤发生的关键调节剂，但它们在癌症转移发展中的作用尚未得到充分研究。大多数参与转移过程的 miRNAs 已在乳腺癌细胞系中得到鉴定，而 CRC 中可用的数据较少。我们综述了 miRNAs 在 CRC 转移途径中的作用，包括细胞凋亡逃逸、上皮-间充质转化（EMT）、血管生成和侵袭。更好地理解 miRNAs 在 CRC 转移发展中的复杂作用可能提供新的见解，这可能具有治疗意义。
