title: miR-221/222: promising biomarkers for breast cancer.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs of 19-25 nt that can regulate gene expression at a posttranscriptional level. Increasing evidence indicates that miRNAs participate in almost every step of cellular processes and are often aberrantly expressed in human cancer. miR-221 and miR-222 are two highly homologous miRNAs that always act as a gene cluster (miR-221/222) in cellular regulation and have extensively been studied in cancer network. Here, we review the role of miR-221/222 in breast cancer (BCa) development and progression: regulating proliferative signaling pathways, altering telomere and telomerase activity, avoiding cell death from tumor suppressors, autophagy and apoptosis, monitoring angiogenesis, supporting epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and even controlling cell-specific function within microenvironment. We consider that miR-221/222 act as promising biomarkers for BCa and they would offer a new way in molecular targeting cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: Fourth Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Xian
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Man-Tang
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Shan-Liang
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Jin-Jin
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jin-Hai
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Jian-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs; C525709:MIR221, human; C525710:MIR222, human