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An In Vitro Protocol for Evaluating MicroRNA Levels, Functions, and Associated Target Genes in Tumor Cells
Published on: May 21, 2019
Targeting microRNAs in pancreatic cancer: microplayers in the big game
Sheema Khan1, Ansarullah, Deepak Kumar
1Authors' Affiliations: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Center for Cancer Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee; The Sanford Project, Children Health Research Center, Sanford Research/USD, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of the District of Columbia, Washington, District of Columbia.
Abstract:
The prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer is extremely poor, and current systemic therapies result in only marginal survival rates for patients. The era of targeted therapies has offered a new avenue to search for more effective therapeutic strategies. Recently, microRNAs (miRNA) that are small noncoding RNAs (18-24 nucleotides) have been associated with a number of diseases, including cancer. Disruption of miRNAs may have important implications in cancer etiology, diagnosis, and treatment. So far, focus has been on the mechanisms that are involved in translational silencing of their targets to fine tune gene expression. This review summarizes the approach for rational validation of selected candidates that might be involved in pancreatic tumorigenesis, cancer progression, and disease management. Herein, we also focus on the major issues hindering the identification of miRNAs, their linked pathways and recent advances in understanding their role as diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers, and therapeutic tools in dealing with this disease. miRNAs are expected to be robust clinical analytes, valuable for clinical research and biomarker discovery.
Insights
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) show promise in improving pancreatic cancer treatment and diagnosis. This review explores their role in tumorigenesis, progression, and as potential biomarkers and therapeutic tools.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Pancreatic cancer has a poor prognosis with limited effective systemic therapies.
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small noncoding RNAs, are implicated in various diseases, including cancer.
- Dysregulated miRNAs can influence cancer etiology, diagnosis, and treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of miRNAs in pancreatic cancer.
- To summarize methods for validating candidate miRNAs in pancreatic tumorigenesis and progression.
- To discuss challenges and advances in miRNA identification, pathway analysis, and clinical applications.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on miRNA research in pancreatic cancer.
- Analysis of miRNA involvement in translational gene silencing.
- Examination of miRNA roles in cancer etiology, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy.
Main Results:
- miRNAs are involved in pancreatic cancer initiation, progression, and management.
- Challenges exist in identifying specific miRNAs and their associated pathways.
- Recent advances highlight miRNAs as diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic agents.
Conclusions:
- miRNAs hold significant potential as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in pancreatic cancer.
- Further research into miRNA mechanisms and clinical validation is crucial for therapeutic development.
- miRNAs are expected to become valuable clinical analytes for research and biomarker discovery.
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