title: The effects of microRNAs on glucocorticoid responsiveness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Glucocorticoids (GCs) are of wide usage in the clinical treatment of lymphoblastic malignancies such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, individually distinctive responsiveness to the GC therapy may attenuate their clinical efficacy, and more reliable predictor for GC resistance is still eagerly needed. Recent studies indicate that microRNAs (miRNAs), which demonstrate regulatory functions targeting mRNAs during the post-transcription, involved in the regulation of GCs sensitivity through several mechanisms, especially adjusting the magnitude of GC receptors (GRs), which mediates the cellular effects of GCs and plays a pivotal role in GCs sensitivity, inspiring that special miRNAs pattern could serve as the biomarkers to predict GC sensitivity and bring forth potential strategies for overcoming drug resistance. In this review, we discuss related miRNAs and their diverse effects exerted on multifaceted complexity of GCs responsiveness for further exploiting the molecular mechanism of GC resistance and future construction of the molecular diagnostic method and reverse GC resistance.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have reviewed and searched for eligible literature relating to the effects of microRNAs on GC responsiveness from systematic PubMed searches.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GC response can be mediated by miRNAs through influence on GC signaling pathway, leading to diverse glucocorticoid responsiveness. Mutations in miRNA gene also influence GC response. As well, GCs regulate the function of several miRNAs, and suggesting a bidirectional influence among them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible and necessary that miRNAs serve as stable biomarkers and GC resistant patients would benefit from an effective and early screening test.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Huimin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Xuxu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gou
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Tang
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China. ouyangj2@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ouyang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000502:physiology*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000235:genetics*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D035683:MicroRNAs; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid
keywords: Glucocorticoid receptors; Glucocorticoid resistance; Glucocorticoid response; MicroRNAs