microRNAs: New-Age Panacea in Cancer Therapeutics

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small (similar to 18-25 nucleotides in length), endogenous, non-coding RNAs, which regulate gene expression. Numerous studies have demonstrated the dysregulation of miRNA expression in human cancers through various mechanisms, which include genetic alteration of miRNA genes, abnormal transcriptional control of miRNAs, anomalous epigenetic changes, and defective miRNA biogenesis machinery. They may function as either oncomiRs or tumor suppressor miRNAs in a tissue or cell-specific manner. The dysregulated miRNAs are known to affect the hallmarks of cancer, and some of these miRNAs have shown therapeutic promise in pre-clinical and clinical studies. Here, we briefly touch upon various aspects of miRNA biology with a particular focus on their roles in cancer.

Automated summary

MiRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that play a crucial role in regulating gene expression. Dysregulated expression of miRNAs in human cancers can affect tumor development through various mechanisms.