Role of Dietary Phytochemicals in Targeting Human miRNAs for Cancer Prevention and Treatment

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs - ~22 nucleotides) are a type of non-coding RNAs that are involved in post-transcriptional gene silencing. They are known to regulate gene expression in diverse biological processes, such as apoptosis, development, and differentiation. Several studies have demonstrated that cancer initiation and progression are highly regulated by miRNA expression. The nutrients present in the diet may regulate the different stages of carcinogenesis. Interestingly, plant-based foods, like fruits and vegetables, have been shown to play a significant role in cancer prevention. Phytochemicals are bioactive compounds derived from plant sources, and they have been shown to have antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. Recent findings suggest that dietary phytochemicals, such as genistein, resveratrol, and curcumin, exert significant anticancer effects by regulating various miRNAs. In this review, we focus on the role of dietary phytochemicals in cancer prevention and treatment through the modulation of miRNA expression.

Keywords: cancer; curcumin; miR-21; miRNA; non-coding genes; phytochemicals.