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REVIEW ARTICLE

MicroRNA in cancer: New hopes for antineoplastic chemotherapy

, &
Pages 202-216 | Received 05 Jan 2012, Accepted 16 Jan 2012, Published online: 21 Feb 2012
 

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous non-coding small RNAs that are evolutionarily conserved and widely distributed among species. Their major function is to negatively regulate mRNA target genes, and miRNA expression has been found to be deregulated in all human cancers, where miRNAs play critical roles in tumorigenesis, functioning either as tumor suppressors or as oncogenes. This review provides a current overview of the connection between miRNAs and cancer by covering the recent advances in miRNA involvement in human cancer including initiation, growth, invasion, and metastasis. We will also highlight the literature where application of miRNAs has created the foundation for the development of potential future miRNA therapy.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.