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The role of microRNA in resistance to breast cancer therapy
Author(s) -
Robertson Neil M.,
Yigit Mehmet V.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
wiley interdisciplinary reviews: rna
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.225
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1757-7012
pISSN - 1757-7004
DOI - 10.1002/wrna.1248
Subject(s) - microrna , breast cancer , cancer , cancer research , biology , metastasis , disease , non coding rna , rna , suppressor , gene silencing , bioinformatics , gene , medicine , genetics
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules with big implications in cancer. The abnormal expression of specific miRNAs has been linked to development of many cancer types. Dysregulated miRNAs play a significant role in proliferation, invasion, differentiation, apoptosis, and resistance of various cancer cells, and considered as oncogenes or tumor‐suppressor genes. Findings have shown abnormal expression of specific miRNAs in breast tumors is a strong indication about the resistance to conventional cancer therapy methods. Acquired cancer resistance is a complex, multifactorial occurrence that requires various mechanisms and processes, however, recent studies have suggested that resistance may be linked to treatment‐induced dysregulation of miRNAs. This dysregulation of miRNAs can affect the protein expression in cells, the ability for anti‐cancer drugs to reach their targets within cells, and the apoptotic pathways. Controlling the expression of these miRNAs alters the resistant phenotype of breast cancer to a nonresistant one. This review focuses on the role of dysregulated miRNAs in breast cancer that are linked to resistance against chemo‐, radiation, hormone, and targeted therapies. Finally, the role of miRNAs in breast cancer metastasis is briefly discussed. WIREs RNA 2014, 5:823–833. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1248 This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease