title: MicroRNAs: biogenesis, roles for carcinogenesis and as potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs of 20-24 nucleotides that play important roles in carcinogenesis. Accordingly, miRNAs control numerous cancer-relevant biological events such as cell proliferation, cell cycle control, metabolism and apoptosis. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge and concepts concerning the biogenesis of miRNAs, miRNA roles in cancer and their potential as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis including the regulation of key cancer-related pathways, such as cell cycle control and miRNA dysregulation. Moreover, microRNA molecules are already receiving the attention of world researchers as therapeutic targets and agents. Therefore, in-depth knowledge of microRNAs has the potential not only to identify their roles in cancer, but also to exploit them as potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and identify therapeutic targets for new drug discovery.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia E-mail : srisasidharan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Nowroji
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kavitha
authors.forename: Soundararajan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vijayarathna
authors.forename: Subramanion Lachumy
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Jothy
authors.forename: Chern Ein
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Oon
authors.forename: Yeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jagat Rakesh
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kanwar
authors.forename: Sreenivasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasidharan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs