The role of piRNA and its potential clinical implications in cancer.
Epigenetic mechanisms work in an orchestrated fashion to control gene expression in both homeostasis and diseases. Among small noncoding RNAs, piRNAs seem to meet the necessary requirements to be included in this epigenetic network due to their role in both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation. piRNAs and PIWI proteins might play important roles in cancer occurrence, prognosis and treatment as reported previously. Nevertheless, the potential clinical relevance of these molecules has yet been elucidated. A brief overview of piRNA biogenesis and their potential roles as part of an epigenetic network that is possibly involved in cancer is provided. Moreover, potential strategies based on the use of piRNAs and PIWI proteins as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers as well as for cancer therapeutics are discussed.
Laboratório de Citogenética Humana, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 01, Guamá, CEP: 66075-110, Belém-PA, Brazil.
Carolina Baraúna
CB
Assumpção
Núcleo de Pesquisas em Oncologia, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Av. Mundurucus, 4487, Guamá, CEP: 66073-000, Belém-PA, Brazil.
Danielle Queiroz
DQ
Calcagno
Núcleo de Pesquisas em Oncologia, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Av. Mundurucus, 4487, Guamá, CEP: 66073-000, Belém-PA, Brazil.
Taíssa Maíra Thomaz
TM
Araújo
Núcleo de Pesquisas em Oncologia, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Av. Mundurucus, 4487, Guamá, CEP: 66073-000, Belém-PA, Brazil.
Sidney Emmanuel Batista dos
SE
Santos
Núcleo de Pesquisas em Oncologia, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Av. Mundurucus, 4487, Guamá, CEP: 66073-000, Belém-PA, Brazil.
Ândrea Kely Campos Ribeiro dos
ÂK
Santos
Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 1550 Orleans Street, Room 257 CRB2, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.
Gregory Joseph
GJ
Riggins
Laboratório de Citogenética Humana, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 01, Guamá, CEP: 66075-110, Belém-PA, Brazil.
Rommel Rodriguez
RR
Burbano
Núcleo de Pesquisas em Oncologia, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Av. Mundurucus, 4487, Guamá, CEP: 66073-000, Belém-PA, Brazil.
Paulo Pimentel
PP
Assumpção
D060565:Argonaute Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D057890:Epigenomics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000235:genetics; D011379:Prognosis; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics*; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000235:genetics; D059467:Transcriptome
D060565:Argonaute Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; D035683:MicroRNAs; C421088:PIWIL1 protein, human; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D022661:RNA, Untranslated
PIWI; cancer biomarker; cancer therapy; epigenetic network; piRNA