The role of let-7 in cell differentiation and cancer.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are small noncoding RNAs capable of regulating gene expression at the translational level. Current evidence suggests that a significant portion of the human genome is regulated by microRNAs, and many reports have demonstrated that microRNA expression is deregulated in human cancer. The let-7 family of microRNAs, first discovered in Caenorhabditis elegans, is functionally conserved from worms to humans. The human let-7 family contains 13 members located on nine different chromosomes, and many human cancers have deregulated let-7 expression. A growing body of evidence suggests that restoration of let-7 expression may be a useful therapeutic option in cancers, where its expression has been lost. In this review, we discuss the role of let-7 in normal development and differentiation, and provide an overview of the relationship between deregulated let-7 expression and tumorigenesis. The regulation of let-7 expression, cancer-relevant let-7 targets, and the relationship between let-7 and drug sensitivity are highlighted.
Boyerinas
Benjamin
B
The Ben May Department for Cancer Research, The University of Chicago, 924 E 57th Street, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
Park
Sun-Mi
SM
Hau
Annika
A
Murmann
Andrea E
AE
Peter
Marcus E
ME
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007814:Larva; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005810:Multigene Family; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C531976:Let-7 microRNA, Drosophila; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; C474488:let-7 microRNA, C elegans; C487931:mirnlet7 microRNA, human