MicroRNAs as oncogenes or tumour suppressors in oesophageal cancer: potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets

Abstract

MicroRNAs are a class of small, non-coding RNAs that can negatively regulate protein-coding genes, and are associated with almost all known physiological and pathological processes, especially cancer. The number of studies documenting miRNA expression patterns in malignancy continues to expand rapidly, with continuously gained critical information regarding how aberrantly expressed miRNAs may contribute to carcinogenesis. miRNAs can influence cancer pathogenesis, playing a potential role as either oncogenes or tumour suppressors. Recently, several miRNAs have been reported to exert different regulatory functions in oesophageal cancer - the carcinoma typically arising from the epithelial lining of the oesophagus. These miRNAs also have potential clinical applications towards developing biomarkers or targets for possible use in diagnosis or therapy in oesophageal cancer. In this review, we have summarized the two (oncogenic or tumour suppressive) roles of miRNAs here, and their applications as potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets, which may illuminate future treatment for oesophageal cancer.

Clinical significance of microRNA-34a in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

“…Moreover, there is growing evidence that the expression of miRNAs plays an important role in the progress of esophageal cancer (Chu et al, 2013;Hong et al, 2014;Huang et al, 2014).…”

MicroRNA-374a promotes esophageal cancer cell proliferation via Axin2 suppression

“…Aberrant regulation of miRNAs has been involved in a number of human diseases, including cancers. In tumorigenesis, miRNAs may act as tumor suppressors (5,6) or oncogenes (7,8) in different types of cancers, including esophageal cancer (9). Recent clinical findings indicated that the upregulation of miR-146b was associated with poor survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (10).…”

Association of miR-21 with esophageal cancer prognosis: a meta-analysis

“…MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNAs that are approximately 23 nucleotides in length (Huang et al, 2014). miRNAs are involved in cell development, differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis through targeting mRNAs (Bao et al, 2014).…”