title: Aberrant microRNA expression and its implications in the pathogenesis of leukemias.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non-coding, endogenous, small RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression by inducing degradation or translational inhibition of target mRNAs. Aberrant expression of miRNAs appears to be a common characteristic of hematological malignancies including leukemias.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Here we review the available data supporting a role of aberrant expression of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of leukemias including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression signatures of miRNAs provide exciting opportunities in the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of leukemia. Since miRNAs can function as either oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in leukemogenesis, the potential of using these small RNAs as therapeutic targets opens up new opportunities for leukemia therapy by either inhibiting or augmenting their activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, 1411713116, Tehran, Iran. sadegh.babashah@gmail.com
authors.forename: Sadegh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Babashah
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadeghizadeh
authors.forename: Mostafa Rezaei
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Tavirani
authors.forename: Shirin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farivar
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soleimani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015973:Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs