Human Cancer Biobank Center, University of Ioannina, University Campus, Ioannina 45110, Greece.
Cancers (Basel). 2010 Jun 14;2(2):1328-53. doi: 10.3390/cancers2021328.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are evolutionarily conserved, naturally abundant, small, regulatory non-coding RNAs that inhibit gene expression at the post-transcriptional level in a sequence-specific manner. Each miRNA represses the protein expression of several coding genes in a manner proportional to the sequence complementarity with the target transcripts. MicroRNAs play key regulatory roles in organismal development and homeostasis. They control fundamental biological processes, such as stem-cell regulation and cellular metabolism, proliferation, differentiation, stress resistance, and apoptosis. Differential miRNA expression is found in malignant tumors in comparison to normal tissue counterparts. This indicates that miRNA deregulation contributes to the initiation and progression of cancer. Currently, miRNA expression signatures are being rigorously investigated in various tumor types, with the aim of developing novel, efficient biomarkers that can improve clinical management of cancer patients. This review discusses deregulated miRNAs in solid tumors, and focuses on their emerging prognostic potential.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) 是进化上保守、天然丰富、小的、调节性非编码 RNA，以序列特异性方式在转录后水平抑制基因表达。每个 miRNA 以与靶转录物序列互补程度成比例的方式抑制几个编码基因的蛋白质表达。miRNAs 在生物发育和内稳态中发挥关键调节作用。它们控制基本的生物过程，如干细胞调节和细胞代谢、增殖、分化、应激抗性和细胞凋亡。与正常组织相比，恶性肿瘤中存在差异表达的 miRNA。这表明 miRNA 失调有助于癌症的发生和发展。目前，正在各种肿瘤类型中严格研究 miRNA 表达谱，旨在开发新的、有效的生物标志物，以改善癌症患者的临床管理。本综述讨论了实体瘤中失调的 miRNAs，并重点介绍了它们新出现的预后潜力。
