title: The miR-34 family in cancer and apoptosis.
abstract: Recently, the transcription factor encoded by tumor suppressor gene p53 was shown to regulate the expression of microRNAs. The most significant induction by p53 was observed for the microRNAs miR-34a and miR-34b/c, which turned out to be direct p53 target genes. Ectopic miR-34 expression induces apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest or senescence. In many tumor types the promoters of the miR-34a and the miR-34b/c genes are subject to inactivation by CpG methylation. MiR-34a resides on 1p36 and is commonly deleted in neuroblastomas. Furthermore, the loss of miR-34 expression has been linked to resistance against apoptosis induced by p53 activating agents used in chemotherapy. In this review, the evidence for a role of miR-34a and miR-34b/c in the apoptotic response of normal and tumor cells is surveyed.
authors.affiliation: Experimental and Molecular Pathology, Institute of Pathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Thalkirchner Str. 36, D-80337 Munich, Germany. heiko.hermeking@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hermeking
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C522425:MIRN34 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53