The therapeutic potential of MicroRNAs in cancer

Stine Buch Thorsen, Susanna Obad, Niels Frank Jensen, Jan Stenvang, Sakari Kauppinen

    89 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been uncovered as important posttranscriptional regulators of nearly every biological process in the cell. Furthermore, mounting evidence implies that miRNAs play key roles in the pathogenesis of cancer and that many miRNAs can function either as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. Thus, miRNAs have rapidly emerged as promising targets for the development of novel anticancer therapeutics. The development of miRNA-based cancer therapeutics relies on restoring the activity of tumor suppressor miRNAs using double-stranded miRNA mimics or inhibition of oncogenic miRNAs using single-stranded antisense oligonucleotides, termed antimiRs. In the present review, we focus on recent advancements in the discovery and development of miRNA-based cancer therapeutics using these 2 approaches. In addition, we summarize selected studies, in which modulation of miRNA activity in preclinical cancer models in vivo has demonstrated promising therapeutic potential.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalCancer Journal
    Volume18
    Issue number3
    Pages (from-to)275-284
    Number of pages10
    ISSN1528-9117
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - May 2012

    Keywords

    • Animals
    • Antineoplastic Agents
    • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
    • Genes, Tumor Suppressor
    • Humans
    • MicroRNAs
    • Molecular Mimicry
    • Molecular Targeted Therapy
    • Neoplasms
    • Oligonucleotides, Antisense
    • Oncogenes

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