title: [microRNAs as biological indicators of environmental and occupational exposure to asbestos].
abstract: Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer refractory to current therapies, the incidence of which is expected to rise in the next decades. Exposure to asbestos is a well known risk factor, as InternationalAgency for Research and Cancer (IARC) classified this compound as group I (carcinogenic to humans). The lack of tumor biomarkers for diagnosis and medical survey plays a fundamental role for the development of a universally accepted therapeutic approach. In this review we evaluated the mechanism of asbestos carcinogenesis by analyzing activated oncogenes, genetic predisposition, and SV40 infection as cofactors. Therefore, interest has focused on microRNAs, 19-25 nucleotide-long single-stranded RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression by modulating translational efficiency of target genes involved in numerous cellular processes including development, differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and stress response. The analysis revealed a differential expression of miRNAs between mesothelioma and mesothelial cells, suggesting their potential role as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in mesothelioma oncogenesis. We have also investigated the role of polymorphism in the etiology and pathogenesis of mesothelioma, in order to evaluate the association between disease linked to asbestos exposure andgenetic variability. The identification of dysregulated miRNAs or frequent genetic polymorphisms as potential diagnostic biomarkers or as prognostic factors for malignant mesothelioma could facilitate the surveillance procedure of subjects exposed to asbestos.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Misure Ambientali e Tossicologiche, "Fondazione Salvatore Maugeri", IRCCS, Pavia, Italy. claudio.minoia@fsm.it
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Minoia
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sturchio
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Porro
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ficociello
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zambelli
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imbriani
mesh_terms: D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D000090204:Mesothelin; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000235:genetics; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D005819:Genetic Markers; D035683:MicroRNAs; D053495:Osteopontin; D001194:Asbestos; D000090204:Mesothelin