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Review
. 2010 Sep;12(3):309-17.
doi: 10.1208/s12248-010-9194-0. Epub 2010 Apr 28.

microRNA and cancer

Mengfeng Li  1 , Jun Li, Xiaofan Ding, Mian He, Shi-Yuan Cheng
Affiliations
Review

microRNA and cancer

Mengfeng Li et al. AAPS J. 2010 Sep.

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small, regulatory, non-coding RNA molecules, display aberrant expression patterns and functional abnormalities in human diseases including cancers. This review summarizes the abnormally expressed miRNAs in various types of human cancers, possible mechanisms underlying such abnormalities, and miRNA-modulated molecular pathways critical for cancer development. Practical implications of miRNAs as biomarkers, novel drug targets and therapeutic tools for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatments of human cancers are also discussed.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Functions of miRNA in cancer development and progression. Possible interactions among oncogenic and tumor suppressor miRNAs and classical genes and consequences in cancer development are illustrated. Green color, downregulated or attenuated. Red color, upregulated or enhanced. ➀ Translation inhibition/mRNA degradation; ➁ Transcriptional inhibition (direct or indirect); ➂ Transcriptional activation (direct or indirect); ➃ Transcriptional inhibition/activity inhibition
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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