Nutritional Science Research Group, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA..
Adv Nutr. 2011 Nov;2(6):472-85. doi: 10.3945/an.111.001206. Epub 2011 Nov 3.
MicroRNA (miRNA) are small noncoding RNA molecules that are involved in post-transcriptional gene silencing. Alterations in miRNA expression are observed in and may underlie many different human diseases, including cancer. In fact, miRNA have been shown to affect the hallmarks of cancer, including sustaining proliferative signaling, evading growth suppressors, resisting cell death, enabling replicative immortality, inducing angiogenesis, and activating invasion and metastasis. Genetic and epigenetic alterations may explain aberrant miRNA expression in cancer cells and may also contribute to cancer risk. It is now thought that by circulating through the bloodstream, miRNA can exert their effects at distant sites as well as within the cells of origin. Recent evidence suggests that nutrients and other bioactive food components protect against cancer through modulation of miRNA expression. Moreover, dietary factors have been shown to modify miRNA expression and their mRNA targets in various cancer processes, including apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, differentiation, inflammation, angiogenesis, and metastasis as well as pathways in stress response. Herein, we provide a brief overview of dietary modulation of miRNA expression and its potential role in cancer prevention. Understanding the affect of dietary factors on miRNA expression and function may provide insight on prevention strategies to reduce the burden of cancer.
MicroRNA (miRNA) 是一种参与转录后基因沉默的小型非编码 RNA 分子。miRNA 表达的改变在许多不同的人类疾病中都有观察到，包括癌症。事实上，miRNA 已被证明会影响癌症的标志性特征，包括维持增殖信号、逃避生长抑制物、抵抗细胞死亡、实现复制永生、诱导血管生成以及激活侵袭和转移。遗传和表观遗传改变可能解释了癌细胞中异常的 miRNA 表达，也可能导致癌症风险增加。现在认为，miRNA 可以通过循环在血液中，在远处发挥作用，也可以在起源细胞中发挥作用。最近的证据表明，营养物质和其他生物活性食物成分通过调节 miRNA 表达来预防癌症。此外，已经表明膳食因素可以在各种癌症过程中调节 miRNA 表达及其 mRNA 靶标，包括细胞凋亡、细胞周期调控、分化、炎症、血管生成和转移以及应激反应途径。在此，我们简要概述了饮食对 miRNA 表达的调节及其在癌症预防中的潜在作用。了解膳食因素对 miRNA 表达和功能的影响可能为减少癌症负担的预防策略提供新的思路。
