title: MicroRNA expression patterns and signalling pathways in the development and progression of childhood solid tumours.
abstract: The development of childhood solid tumours is tied to early developmental processes. These tumours may be complex and heterogeneous, and elucidating the aberrant mechanisms that alter the early embryonic environment and lead to disease is essential to our understanding of how these tumours function. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are vital regulators of gene expression at all stages of development, and their crosstalk via developmental signalling pathways is essential for orchestrating regulatory control in processes such as proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of cells. Oncogenesis, from aberrant miRNA expression, can occur through amplification and overexpression of oncogenic miRNAs (oncomiRs), genetic loss of tumour suppressor miRNAs, and global miRNA reduction from genetic and epigenetic alterations in the components regulating miRNA biogenesis. While few driver mutations have been identified in many of these types of tumours, abnormal miRNA expression has been found in a number of childhood solid tumours compared to normal tissue. An exploration of the network of key developmental pathways and interacting miRNAs may provide insight into the development of childhood solid malignancies and how key regulators are affected. Here we present a comprehensive introduction to the roles and implications of miRNAs in normal early development and childhood solid tumours, highlighting several tumours in depth, including embryonal brain tumours, neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma, Wilms tumour, and hepatoblastoma. In light of recent literature describing newer classifications and subtyping of tumours based on miRNA profiling, we discuss commonly identified miRNAs, clusters or families associated with several solid tumours and future directions for improving therapeutic approaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, 56 Hanover Street, P.O. Box 913, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Anna L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Leichter
authors.affiliation: Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, 56 Hanover Street, P.O. Box 913, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand. michael.eccles@otago.ac.nz.|Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Level 2, 3A Symonds Street, Auckland, New Zealand. michael.eccles@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Eccles
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, 56 Hanover Street, P.O. Box 913, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand. aniruddha.chatterjee@otago.ac.nz.|Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Level 2, 3A Symonds Street, Auckland, New Zealand. aniruddha.chatterjee@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Aniruddha
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7276-2248
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Childhood solid tumours; Early development; Hepatoblastoma; Medulloblastoma; MicroRNAs; Neuroblastoma; Osteosarcoma; Wilms Tumour