Apoptosis and the target genes of microRNA-21.
- Author:
Lindsey E Becker BUSCAGLIA
1
;
Yong LI
Author Information
1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH:
Animals;
Apoptosis;
Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins;
metabolism;
Genes, Tumor Suppressor;
Humans;
MicroRNAs;
genetics;
metabolism;
Neoplasms;
genetics;
metabolism;
pathology;
PTEN Phosphohydrolase;
metabolism;
RNA-Binding Proteins;
metabolism;
Tumor Suppressor Proteins;
genetics;
metabolism
- From:Chinese Journal of Cancer
2011;30(6):371-380
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) is frequently up-regulated in cancer and the majority of its reported targets are tumor suppressors. Through functional suppression, miR-21 is implicated in practically every walk of oncogenic life: the promotion of cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, genome instability and mutation, inflammation, replicative immortalization, abnormal metabolism, angiogenesis, and evading apoptosis, immune destruction, and growth suppressors. In particular, miR-21 is strongly involved in apoptosis. In this article, we reviewed the experimentally validated targets of miR-21 and found that two thirds are linked to intrinsic and/or extrinsic pathways of cellular apoptosis. This suggests that miR-21 is an oncogene which plays a key role in resisting programmed cell death in cancer cells and that targeting apoptosis is a viable therapeutic option against cancers expressing miR-21.
