| Abstract- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a large family of evolutionary conserved small non-coding RNA
molecules that firstly discovered in 1993. They regulate gene expression of about 50% of protein-coding
genes at the post-transcriptional level. MiRNAs can target numerous messenger RNAs and subsequent
misexpression of them can affect many different signaling pathways. They are playing a pivotal role in cancer
development by regulation of the genes expression which involved in the proliferation, survival,
differentiation, apoptosis or metastasis of the cancer cells. Several treatment approaches such as inhibition of
oncomiRs and restoration of tumor suppressor miRNAs have been established in certain types of cancers and
some other miRNA-based strategies are in development for cancer prevention and treatment. Nowadays,
cancer is the most important target of miRNA therapeutics and the specific mechanisms by which miRNA
mediates cancer pathways needs more research and study. |