title: MicroRNAs as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in melanoma.
abstract: Melanoma is a life-threatening malignancy with poor prognosis and a relatively high burden of mortality in advanced stages. The efficacy of current available therapeutic strategies is limited, with a survival rate of less than 10%. Despite rapid advances in biomarker-guided drug development in different tumour types, including melanoma, only a very small number of biomarkers have been identified. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as a molecular regulator in the development and progression of melanoma. Aberrant activation of some known miRNAs, e.g. let-7a and b, miR-148, miR-155, miR-182, miR-200c, miR-211, miR-214, miR-221 and 222, has been recognised to be linked with melanoma-associated genes such as NRAS, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, receptor tyrosine kinase c-KIT, AP-2 transcription factor, etc. There is accumulating evidence suggesting the potential impact of circulating miRNAs as diagnostic and therapeutic markers in diseases. In addition, miRNAs have turned out to play important roles in drug-resistance mechanisms; suggesting their modulation as a potential approach to overcome chemoresistance. This review highlights recent preclinical and clinical studies on circulating miRNAs and their potential role as diagnosis, and therapeutic targets in melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamed
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mirzaei
authors.affiliation: Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Sharareh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gholamin
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Soodabeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahidsales
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Amirhossein
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahebkar
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoud Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Jaafari
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid Reza
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Mirzaei
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry of Nutrition Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Microanatomy Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Mahdi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hassanian
authors.affiliation: Molecular Medicine Group, Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Biochemistry of Nutrition Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Electronic address: avana@mums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avan
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018450:Disease Progression; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D055354:Exosomes / Q000235:genetics; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Circulating marker; Melanoma; MiRNA