title: The role of miR-148a in gastric cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant diseases worldwide, although much progress has been achieved in recent years, the early diagnosis and treatment for gastric cancer are not yet satisfactory and, thus the prognosis is still poor. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can regulate a variety of physiological and developmental processes, it has been revealed that many miRNAs contribute the initiation and progression of various cancers. MiR-148a is one of the most important miRNAs in gastric cancer, and the aim of this paper is to provide an overview of various roles of miR-148a in gastric cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We searched studies in electronic databases. MiR-148a was down-regulated in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines, which was resulted from the hypermethylation in its promoter region. Furthermore, miR-148a could regulate several different target genes and pathways involving tumor proliferation, invasion and metastasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MiR-148a may serve as a novel biomarker for the diagnosis and as a new therapeutic target in gastric cancer.
authors.forename: Jiazeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Xiaoqiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Kaiyuan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C550570:MIRN148 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs