title: Tumor surveillance by circulating microRNAs: a hypothesis.
abstract: A growing body of experimental evidence supports the diagnostic relevance of circulating microRNAs in various diseases including cancer. The biological relevance of circulating microRNAs is, however, largely unknown, particularly in healthy individuals. Here, we propose a hypothesis based on the relative abundance of microRNAs with predominant tumor suppressor activity in the blood of healthy individuals. According to our hypothesis, certain sets of circulating microRNAs might function as a tumor surveillance mechanism exerting continuous inhibition on tumor formation. The microRNA-mediated tumor surveillance might complement cancer immune surveillance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Szent Imre Teaching Hospital, Tétényi str. 12-16, Budapest, 1115, Hungary.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Igaz
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Igaz
mesh_terms: D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D008833:Microcirculation; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs