Implication of microRNAs in Carcinogenesis with Emphasis on Hematological Malignancies and Clinical Translation

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 23; no. 10; p. 5838
• Main Author: Gaál, Zsuzsanna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 23.05.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: acute leukemia; Angiogenesis; Apoptosis; Binding sites; Biomarkers; Biosynthesis; Body fluids; Cancer therapies; Carcinogenesis; Carcinogens; Cell growth; Chemoresistance; Differential diagnosis; Epigenetics; Gene expression; Hematology; Hematopoiesis; Hemopoiesis; Leukemia; Lymphoma; Medical prognosis; Metabolic pathways; Metastasis; Microenvironments; microRNA; MicroRNAs; miRNA; Pathogenesis; Pediatrics; Phosphatase; prognostic stratification; Prostate; Proteins; Review; Transcription factors; Tumors; precision oncology; chemoresistance; differential diagnosis; carcinogenesis; acute leukemia; system biology approach; microRNA; prognostic stratification; biomarker
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105838

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are evolutionarily conserved small non-coding RNAs, that are involved in the multistep process of carcinogenesis, contributing to all established hallmarks of cancer. In this review, implications of miRNAs in hematological malignancies and their clinical utilization fields are discussed. As components of the complex regulatory network of gene expression, influenced by the tissue microenvironment and epigenetic modifiers, miRNAs are "micromanagers" of all physiological processes including the regulation of hematopoiesis and metabolic pathways. Dysregulated miRNA expression levels contribute to both the initiation and progression of acute leukemias, the metabolic reprogramming of malignantly transformed hematopoietic precursors, and to the development of chemoresistance. Since they are highly stable and can be easily quantified in body fluids and tissue specimens, miRNAs are promising biomarkers for the early detection of hematological malignancies. Besides novel opportunities for differential diagnosis, miRNAs can contribute to advanced chemoresistance prediction and prognostic stratification of acute leukemias. Synthetic oligonucleotides and delivery vehicles aim the therapeutic modulation of miRNA expression levels. However, major challenges such as efficient delivery to specific locations, differences of miRNA expression patterns between pediatric and adult hematological malignancies, and potential side effects of miRNA-based therapies should be considered.