Affiliation:
1. Unit of Biology and Medical Research, National Center of Energy, Sciences and Nuclear Techniques, Rabat, Morocco
2. Cellular and Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
3. Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, United States
Abstract
Noncoding RNAs have emerged as key regulators of the genome upon gene expression
profiling and genome-wide sequencing. Among these noncoding RNAs, microRNAs are short noncoding
RNAs that regulate a plethora of functions, biological processes and human diseases by targeting
the messenger RNA stability through 3’UTR binding, leading to either mRNA cleavage or
translation repression, depending on microRNA-mRNA complementarity degree. Additionally,
strong evidence has suggested that dysregulation of miRNAs contributes to the etiology and progression
of human cancers, such as lung cancer, the most common and deadliest cancer worldwide.
Indeed, by acting as oncogenes or tumor suppressors, microRNAs control all aspects of lung cancer
malignancy, including cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, cancer
stem cells, immune-surveillance escape, and therapy resistance; and their expressions are often associated
with clinical parameters. Moreover, several deregulated microRNAs in lung cancer are carried
by exosomes and microvesicles and secreted in body fluids, mainly the circulation, where they
conserve their stable forms. Subsequently, seminal efforts have been focused on extracellular microRNAs
levels as noninvasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in lung cancer. In this review,
focusing on recent literature, we summarize the deregulation, mechanisms of action, functions
and highlight clinical applications of miRNAs for better management and design of future
lung cancer targeted therapies.
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Subject
Orthopedics and Sports Medicine,Emergency Medicine,General Medicine