title: MicroRNAs as therapeutic targets in chemoresistance.
abstract: Despite substantial progress in understanding the cancer signaling network, effective therapies remain scarce due to insufficient disruption of oncogenic pathways, drug resistance and drug-induced toxicity. New and more creative approaches are therefore required for the treatment of cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression by sequence-selective targeting of mRNAs, leading to a translational repression or mRNA degradation. Experimental evidence demonstrates that dysregulation of specific miRNAs leads to drug resistance in different cancers and correction of these miRNAs using miRNA mimics or antagomiRs can normalize the gene regulatory network and signaling pathways and sensitize cancerous cells to chemotherapy. Therefore, miRNA-based gene therapy provides an attractive anti-tumor approach for integrated cancer therapy. Here, we will discuss the involvement of microRNAs in chemotherapy resistance and focus on recent advancements in the development and delivery of miRNA-based cancer therapeutics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. Electronic address: Michela.garofalo@osumc.edu.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garofalo
authors.forename: Carlo M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Croce
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000187:drug effects; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm
keywords: Cancer; Chemotherapy; Drug resistance; MicroRNA