title: MiR-138: A promising therapeutic target for cancer.
abstract: MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs which regulate gene expressions at post-transcriptional level by binding to the 3'-untranslated region of target messenger RNAs. Growing evidences highlight their pivotal roles in various biological processes of human cancers. Among them, miR-138, generating from two primary transcripts, pri-miR-138-1 and pri-miR-138-2, expresses aberrantly in different cancers and is extensively studied in cancer network. Importantly, studies have shown that miR-138 acts as a tumor suppressor by targeting many target genes, which are related to proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and migration. Additionally, some researches also discover that miR-138 can sensitize tumors to chemotherapies. In this review, we summarize the expression of miR-138 on regulatory mechanisms and tumor biological processes, which will establish molecular basis on the usage of miR-138 in clinical applications in the future.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Chemotherapy, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Huan-Huan
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.affiliation: 2 The First Clinical School of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Dan-Dan
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: 3 Research Center of Clinical Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Chemotherapy, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Si-Wen
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 2 The First Clinical School of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Chemotherapy, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Da-Li
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Chemotherapy, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Shu-Chen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Chemotherapy, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Ji-Feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000502:physiology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: C546110:MIRN138 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: MicroRNA; biological processes; cancers; microRNA-138