title: Therapeutic potential of microRNA let-7: tumor suppression or impeding normal stemness.
abstract: The first microRNA, let-7, and its family were discovered in Caenorhabditis elegans and are functionally conserved from worms to humans in the regulation of embryonic development and stemness. The let-7 family has been shown to have an essential role in stem cell differentiation and tumor-suppressive activity. Deregulating expression of let-7 is commonly reported in many human cancers. Emerging evidence has accumulated and suggests that reestablishment of let-7 in tumor cells is a valuable therapeutic strategy. However, findings reach beyond tumor therapeutics and may impinge on stemness and differentiation of stem cells. In this review, we discuss the role of let-7 in development and differentiation of normal adult stem/progenitor cells and offer a viewpoint of the association between deregulated let-7 expression and tumorigenesis. The regulation of let-7 expression, cancer-relevant let-7 targets, and the application of let-7 are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Immunology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shao-Chih
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Hao-Yu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Der-Yang
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Tzu-Min
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Ming-Chao
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hiang-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Tsyng-You
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Pei-Chang
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Ru-Huei
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Wen-Kuang
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Horng-Jyh
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Harn
authors.forename: Shinn-Zong
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C000715187:Lin28A protein, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C487931:mirnlet7 microRNA, human