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Review
. 2026 Jan 27;26(1):99.
doi: 10.1186/s12935-026-04181-x.

The possible role of sirtuins and MiRNAs in gastrointestinal cancers: special focus on Sirt1

Seyed Mohammadmahdi Meybodi  1   2 , Farbod Bahreini  2   3   4 , Kathrin Kalies  4 , Russel J Reiter  5 , Nima Rezaei  6   7   8
Affiliations
Review

The possible role of sirtuins and MiRNAs in gastrointestinal cancers: special focus on Sirt1

Seyed Mohammadmahdi Meybodi et al. Cancer Cell Int. .

Abstract

This review comprehensively examines the role of Sirtuins and microRNAs (miRNAs) in gastrointestinal cancers (GICs) with a particular focus on Sirt1. Gastrointestinal malignancies, comprising a wide range of tumors within the digestive tract, represent an essential health challenge worldwide, and are distinguished by high incidence and mortality rates. Emerging evidence implies that Sirtuins, particularly SIRT1, act as a double-edged sword in cancer biology, acting as either tumor promoters or suppressors, depending on the cellular milieu. miRNAs also have been identified as critical regulators of gene expression, impacting cancer progression through their interaction with Sirtuins. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to identify relevant studies on the topic. This review highlights the complex relationships between Sirtuins and miRNAs in GICs, exploring their potential as biomarkers for early detection and targets for therapeutic intervention. The regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs in the Sirtuin family, specifically in human GICs, are examined to identify their influence on cancer diagnosis, progression, and management. The results may ultimately serve as a basis for developing diagnostic markers for the early detection of GICs.

Keywords: Biomarkers; Carcinogens; Gastrointestinal neoplasms; MicroRNAs; Sirtuin 1; Sirtuins.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
SIRT1 and MicroRNAs collaboration; the mechanisms in Gastrointestinal (GI) neoplasms. MicroRNAs could play a vital function in the development of GI neoplasia through various mechanisms such as metastasis, angiogenesis, and proliferation, acting as either tumor promoters or suppressors. MicroRNAs regulate cancer progression through the targeting of SIRT1. These relationships between miRNAs and SIRT1 in GI cancers are illustrated in this figure. AGO: Argonaute protein; DGCR8: DiGeorge syndrome critical region 8; EMT: Epithelial–mesenchymal transition; miRNA: MicroRNA; mRNA: Messenger RNA; Pol II: RNA polymerase II; RISC: RNA-induced silencing complex; SIRT1: Sirtuin 1; TRBP: TAR RNA-binding protein. →: Activation, ⊣: Inhibition
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Various miRNAs can interact with SIRTUIN molecules apart from SIRT1 (SIRT2-SIRT7) to either help or inhibit GI cancers. The correlation between the expression levels of these molecules may be either direct or inverse in GI neoplasia, as illustrated in this model. oncomiRNA: oncogenic microRNA
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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