Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a fundamental biological process that is involved in normal embryogenesis, would healing, and tissue repair, as well as numerous pathologies, including organ fibrosis, malignant transformation, and cancer progression. Both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms contribute to a complex and tightly controlled regulatory network during the EMT process, and a growing body of evidence now demonstrates that microRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial regulators of this network. miRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression through translational repression or mRNA degradation. A set of miRNAs have been discovered that have the potential to target multiple components of the signaling pathways and downstream effectors of the EMT. Our understanding of the roles that miRNAs play during the EMT process suggests that these miRNAs may eventually serve as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for various EMT-based pathological conditions. This review summarizes the current knowledge concerning how miRNAs mechanistically regulate the EMT and discusses the specific roles that miRNAs play in three EMT subtypes. We hope that a more comprehensive understanding of the functions of miRNAs in the EMT process will lead to the rapid development of novel diagnostic techniques and molecular-based strategies for controlling EMT.
Keywords: Embryogenesis, EMT, fibrosis, MET, metastasis, microRNA.
Current Cancer Drug Targets
Title:MicroRNAs as Critical Regulators Involved in Regulating Epithelial- Mesenchymal Transition
Volume: 13 Issue: 9
Author(s): Xiaodi Zhao, Yuanyuan Lu, Yongzhan Nie and Daiming Fan
Affiliation:
Keywords: Embryogenesis, EMT, fibrosis, MET, metastasis, microRNA.
Abstract: The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a fundamental biological process that is involved in normal embryogenesis, would healing, and tissue repair, as well as numerous pathologies, including organ fibrosis, malignant transformation, and cancer progression. Both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms contribute to a complex and tightly controlled regulatory network during the EMT process, and a growing body of evidence now demonstrates that microRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial regulators of this network. miRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression through translational repression or mRNA degradation. A set of miRNAs have been discovered that have the potential to target multiple components of the signaling pathways and downstream effectors of the EMT. Our understanding of the roles that miRNAs play during the EMT process suggests that these miRNAs may eventually serve as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for various EMT-based pathological conditions. This review summarizes the current knowledge concerning how miRNAs mechanistically regulate the EMT and discusses the specific roles that miRNAs play in three EMT subtypes. We hope that a more comprehensive understanding of the functions of miRNAs in the EMT process will lead to the rapid development of novel diagnostic techniques and molecular-based strategies for controlling EMT.
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Cite this article as:
Zhao Xiaodi, Lu Yuanyuan, Nie Yongzhan and Fan Daiming, MicroRNAs as Critical Regulators Involved in Regulating Epithelial- Mesenchymal Transition, Current Cancer Drug Targets 2013; 13 (9) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/15680096113136660099
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/15680096113136660099 |
Print ISSN 1568-0096 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-5576 |
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