MicroRNAs and cancer

• Main Authors: Faruk Saydam, İrfan Değirmenci, Hasan Veysi Güneş
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dicle University Medical School 2011-03-01
• Series: Dicle Medical Journal
• Subjects: Cancer; microRNA; Molecular Biology
• Online Access: http://www.dicle.edu.tr/fakulte/tip/dergi/yayin/381/25.pdf

MicroRNAs (MiRNAs) are highly conserved, non-protein-coding, approximately 18-24 nucleotides, small RNA molecules. These non-protein-coding RNAs bind target mRNAs which are complementary with their squences and post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression through translation repression or mRNA degradation. Using this pathway, miRNAs play important roles in homeostatic process including cell proliferation, differentiation and cell death. Recent studies based on gene expression have revealed that miRNA expressions are deregulated in cancer cells which have uncontrolled grow. According to character of target mRNA, miRNAs act like tumor supressor or oncogene in cancer initiation and progression. In this review, miRNA biogenesis and their roles in cancer progression are described and studies setting out the relationship between miRNAs and cancer are reviewed.