MicroRNA regulation of proteoglycan function in cancer

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs acting as physiological regulators of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. In cancer, the expression of microRNAs is dysregulated compared to healthy tissue, suggesting a mechanistic role in disease progression. Recent experimental evidence supports the important molecular role of proteoglycans as microRNA targets in this process. Misexpression of specific microRNAs results in aberrant expression patterns of proteoglycans, as well as their biosynthetic enzymes. Consequently, cell proliferation and apoptosis, adhesion, migration, invasiveness, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cell properties are affected as a result of the multifunctional properties of proteoglycans. A pharmacological targeting of the microRNA-proteoglycan axis emerges as a new therapeutic concept in cancer.