Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories and Adelaide Prostate Cancer Research Centre, University of Adelaide and Hanson Institute, Adelaide 5000, Australia.
Endocr Relat Cancer. 2012 Jun 18;19(4):R99-R113. doi: 10.1530/ERC-12-0010. Print 2012 Aug.
The realization that microRNAs (miRNAs) are frequently deregulated in malignancy has had a major impact on cancer research. In particular, the recent finding that highly stable forms of miRNAs can be accurately measured in body fluids, including blood, has generated considerable excitement. Here, we discuss the potential of blood-based circulating miRNAs as diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers of prostate cancer. We also describe practical considerations that may influence identification and/or measurement of miRNA biomarkers in the circulation. Finally, evidence is prevented for the emerging concept that circulating miRNAs are actively released by their cells of origin and can modulate gene expression at distal sites. These mobile miRNAs, which we term 'hormomirs' because of their hormone-like characteristics, could act as local or long-range signals to maintain normal homeostasis or influence the development and progression of diseases such as cancer.
人们认识到 microRNAs（miRNAs）在恶性肿瘤中经常失调，这对癌症研究产生了重大影响。特别是最近发现，miRNAs 的高度稳定形式可以在体液中（包括血液）准确测量，这引起了极大的关注。在这里，我们讨论了基于血液的循环 miRNAs 作为前列腺癌诊断、预后和预测生物标志物的潜力。我们还描述了可能影响循环 miRNA 生物标志物的鉴定和/或测量的实际考虑因素。最后，有证据表明，循环 miRNA 是由其起源细胞主动释放的，并可以在远端位点调节基因表达的新兴概念。我们将这些可移动的 miRNA 称为“激素 mir 分子”，因为它们具有激素样特征，它们可以作为局部或远程信号来维持正常的体内平衡，或影响癌症等疾病的发展和进展。
