Role of microRNA-410 in molecular oncology: A double edged sword

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding single-stranded RNAs, which play significant roles in the regulation of a myriad of biological processes. Overwhelmingly increasing high-impact research has also deepened our understanding about the central role of miRNAs in cancer development, metastatic spread, and development of resistance against various drugs. Recent studies have identified miRNAs that regulate RNA expression/processing and posttranscriptional expression of important oncogenes and tumor suppressors. Rapidly emerging experimentally verified data have started to shed light on the significance of miRNAs as biomarkers for diagnostic, prognostic, and monitoring purposes. Next-generation sequencing and DNA microarray technologies have helped us tremendously in the identification of miRNA and mRNA signatures in different cancers and their subtypes on a genome-wide scale. It is being increasing realized that miRNAs have diametrically opposite roles in different cancers. miR-410 is context-dependently involved in positive and negative regulation of cancers. miR-410 negatively regulates BAK1, CETN3, and BRD7 to promote cancer. However, miR-410 effectively targetes c-MET, AGTR1, and SNAIL to suppress cancer. In this review, we will comprehensively summarize most recent evidence available related to the "split personality" of miR-410 in different cancers.