Emerging roles of microRNAs in the Wnt signaling network

The Wnt signaling network is known to regulate many cellular processes and is of crucial importance during development and in pathological conditions, including cancer. Small noncoding RNAs from the microRNA family (miRNAs) are important elements in the post-transcriptional control of gene expression. In this work, I review the cross talk between miRNAs and the canonical Wnt signaling pathway in various biological processes with particular emphasis on carcinogenesis. Because alterations of miRNA activity and aberrant Wnt signaling are each intimately linked to tumor biology, deciphering the complex interplay between these two regulatory modules is essential to advance our understanding of the integrated functions of miRNAs in signal transduction cascades and develop rational treatment regimens against cancer.