title: Deregulated MicroRNAs in Biliary Tract Cancer: Functional Targets and Potential Biomarkers.
abstract: Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is still a fatal disease with very poor prognosis. The lack of reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis and of effective therapeutic targets is a major demanding problem in diagnosis and management of BTC. Due to the clinically silent and asymptomatic characteristics of the tumor, most patients are diagnosed at an already advanced stage allowing only for a palliative therapeutic approach. MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs well known to regulate various cellular functions and pathologic events including the formation and progression of cancer. Over the last years, several studies have shed light on the role of microRNAs in BTC, making them potentially attractive therapeutic targets and candidates as biomarkers. In this review, we will focus on the role of oncogenic and tumor suppressor microRNAs and their direct targets in BTC. Furthermore, we summarize and discuss data that evaluate the diagnostic power of deregulated microRNAs as possible future biomarkers for BTC.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Tumour Biology and Experimental Therapies (TREAT), Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria; Department of Internal Medicine I, Paracelsus Medical University/Salzburger Landeskliniken (SALK), Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1898-8363
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mayr
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Tumour Biology and Experimental Therapies (TREAT), Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Marlena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beyreis
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, Paracelsus Medical University/Salzburger Landeskliniken (SALK), Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Andrej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pichler
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Paracelsus Medical University/Salzburger Landeskliniken (SALK), Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Neureiter
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Tumour Biology and Experimental Therapies (TREAT), Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria; Department of Internal Medicine I, Paracelsus Medical University/Salzburger Landeskliniken (SALK), Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5403-9478
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kiesslich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001661:Biliary Tract Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm