Abstract
The advent of the microRNAs in the early 1990s has proven to be a tremendously significant development within the purview of gene regulation. They participate in the regulation of a broad assembly of processes vital to proper cell function and the perturbation of these pathways following alteration of miRNA expression is strongly believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of cancer. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the miRNAs that have to date been well-characterized in the context of human breast neoplasia. Detailed discussion will center around their role in tumor initiation and progression, control of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cancer stem cell formation, use as biomarkers in tissues and circulation, as well as their role in cancer treatment. In addition, attention will be given to topics which remain underexplored, such as miRNA control of cancer cell metabolism and the genomic/epigenetic origins underlying the preliminary disruption of miRNA expression in disease. This review will also address and attempt to resolve instances where discordant, inter-study findings have been reported (examples of which are replete in the literature) while also identifying bottlenecks hampering progress in miRNA research and other challenges that confront this fledgling but promising field of biomedical research.
Highlights
MicroRNAs are a subclass of non-coding RNAs which act as endogenous regulators of the cellular transcriptome
We provide an inclusive assessment of the current state of miRNA research as it pertains to breast cancer (BC)
MiR-31 is thought to be a prolific suppressor of metastasis, a finding explained by its confirmed targeting of a plethora of pro-metastatic genes
Summary
MicroRNAs are a subclass of non-coding RNAs which act as endogenous regulators of the cellular transcriptome Since their recent discovery in 1993 [1,2] the collective sum of information related to miRNA biology has rapidly expanded; concurrently, so have the prospects of utilizing miRNA-based strategies to enhance diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic approaches in the management of disease. BC presents an instance where advanced screening techniques are urgently needed To this end, the recent discovery that miRNAs can be detected in the blood has piqued interest into whether such molecules could be used as a circulating biomarker, given the previous evidence which has already shown that tissue miRNA levels are dramatically altered many diseases [9].
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