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The Role of MicroRNAs in Modulating Tissue Response to Radiation

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Strategies to Enhance the Therapeutic Ratio of Radiation as a Cancer Treatment

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Abstract

MicroRNAs are a critical class of regulators for cells to deal with DNA damage. Abnormal miRNA function is associated with tumor initiation and progression, and altered miRNA expression found in tumor tissues are frequently associated with heterogeneity of tumor responses to therapeutic agents, including radiotherapy. In this chapter, we review recent advances of the functional role of microRNAs in the context of the DNA damage response, tissue specific tumor initiation and progression. We further discuss clinical implications of using miRNA signatures as biomarkers for radiosensitivity and targeting specific miRNAs as therapeutic approaches.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by NIH grants R01CA133093 and R01ES016354, the Alabama Innovation Fund, and Alabama Drug Discovery Alliance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oncology, Southern Research Institute, 2000 9th Ave South, Birmingham, AL, 35205, USA

    Rebecca J. Boohaker & Bo Xu M.D., Ph.D.

  2. Cancer Cell Biology Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35205, USA

    Bo Xu M.D., Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Rebecca J. Boohaker
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  2. Bo Xu M.D., Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bo Xu M.D., Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA

    Mitchell S. Anscher

  2. Department of Radiation Oncology Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA

    Kristoffer Valerie

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Boohaker, R.J., Xu, B. (2016). The Role of MicroRNAs in Modulating Tissue Response to Radiation. In: Anscher, M., Valerie, K. (eds) Strategies to Enhance the Therapeutic Ratio of Radiation as a Cancer Treatment. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45594-5_8

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