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MicroRNAs and cancer

  • Published:
The Chinese-German Journal of Clinical Oncology

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) belong to a class of noncoding, regulatory RNAs that are involved in oncogenesis and show remarkable tissue specificity. miRNAs are approximately 22 nt non-coding RNAs, which regulate gene expression in a sequence-specific manner via translational inhibition or messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation, thus affecting various cellular processes. Since the discovery of their fundamental mechanisms of action, the field of miRNAs has opened a new era in the understanding of small noncoding RNAs. Recent evidence has shown that miRNA controls cell growth, apoptosis, and differentiation. Cancer is a complex genetic disease caused by abnormalities in gene structure and expression, moreover, miRNA expression correlates with cancers and could have a crucial function in tumor progression. Bioinformatic data indicate that each miRNA can control hundreds of target genes, but identification of the accurate miRNA targets will be crucial to exploit the emerging knowledge of miRNA contribution to cancer process.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yunnan Red Cross Hospital, Kunming, 650021, China

    Libo Xiao

  2. School of Chemistry Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China

    Zhiping Wu & Yan Chen

  3. Fifth High School of Guandu District, Kunming, 650011, China

    Rui Feng

  4. School of Life Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China

    Qishun Zhu & Chun Hou

  5. Cancer Institute, the 3rd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical College, Kunming, 650118, China

    Chenwei Gao

  6. Department of Base Medicine, Yunnan Chinese Traditional Medical College, Kunming, 650200, China

    Yonggui Wu

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  1. Libo Xiao
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  2. Zhiping Wu
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  3. Rui Feng
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  4. Qishun Zhu
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  5. Chenwei Gao
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  6. Yan Chen
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  7. Chun Hou
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  8. Yonggui Wu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qishun Zhu.

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Xiao, L., Wu, Z., Feng, R. et al. MicroRNAs and cancer. Chin. -Ger. J. Clin. Oncol. 9, 547–554 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10330-010-0648-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10330-010-0648-8

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