Overview upon miR-21 in lung cancer: focus on NSCLC

Abstract

Considering the high mortality rate encountered in lung cancer, there is a strong need to explore new biomarkers for early diagnosis and also improved therapeutic targets to overcome this issue. The implementation of microRNAs as important regulators in cancer and other pathologies expanded the possibilities of lung cancer management and not only. MiR-21 represents an intensively studied microRNA in many types of cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Its role as an oncogene is underlined in multiple studies reporting the upregulated expression of this sequence in patients diagnosed with this malignancy; moreover, several studies associated this increased expression of miR-21 with a worse outcome within NSCLC patients. The same pattern is supported by the data existent in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The carcinogenic advantage generated by miR-21 in NSCLC resides in the target genes involved in multiple pathways such as cell growth and proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis, but also chemo- and radioresistance. Therapeutic modulation of miR-21 by use of antisense sequences entrapped in different delivery systems has shown promising results in impairment of NSCLC. Hereby, we review the mechanisms of action of miR-21 in cancer and the associated changes upon tumor cells together a focused perspective on NSCLC signaling, prognosis and therapy.

Hypoxia: Overview on Hypoxia-Mediated Mechanisms with a Focus on the Role of HIF Genes

“…MiRNAs are able to interact with the 3 -UTR of target genes and suppress their expression. Interactions with other regions such as the 5 -UTR and gene promoters have been described [25][26][27][28]. There are multiple miRNAs that modulate HIF-1α, including miR-18a, miR-155, miR-199a, miR-429, and miR-433 [29].…”

Prognostic Value of MiR-21: An Updated Meta-Analysis in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC)

“…This noncoding RNA is upregulated in various human cancers [10,11], including HNSCC [12]. MiR-21 regulates the expression of multiple target genes with fundamental implications in cancer progression [13].…”

Rapid Detection of Exosomal MicroRNAs Using Virus‐Mimicking Fusogenic Vesicles

“…The engineered CV‐1 cell membrane was derived with combined mechanical disruption and differential centrifugation . Then, a previously reported MB was synthesized to detect a model exosomal miRNA, miR‐21, which is a universal biomarker of many cancers including breast, lung, colon, and brain cancers . The MBs were mixed with the cell membrane and coextruded through porous polycarbonate membranes to generate the Vir‐FVs.…”