Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 12, 2025

An In Vitro Protocol for Evaluating MicroRNA Levels, Functions, and Associated Target Genes in Tumor Cells
09:45

An In Vitro Protocol for Evaluating MicroRNA Levels, Functions, and Associated Target Genes in Tumor Cells

Published on: May 21, 2019

8.5K

Tumor-Progressive Mechanisms Mediating miRNA-Protein Interaction

Hiroaki Konishi1, Hiroki Sato2, Kenji Takahashi2

  • 1Department of Gastroenterology and Advanced Medical Sciences, Asahikawa Medical University, Midorigaoka, Asahikawa 078-8510, Japan.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|November 27, 2021
PubMed

Insights

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) fine-tune protein expression and regulate cell functions. Aberrant miRNA regulation is linked to cancer, making them promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets for molecular-targeted cancer therapy.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, single-stranded RNAs regulating protein expression by modifying mRNA translation.
  • These molecules are crucial for cellular processes like development, growth, and apoptosis.
  • Dysregulated miRNA expression is implicated in the pathogenesis of various diseases, particularly cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the roles of miRNA-protein interactions in cancer progression.
  • To explore the potential of miRNAs as cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
  • To discuss future applications of miRNA-based molecular-targeted therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on miRNA function in cancer.
  • Analysis of research on miRNA-protein and miRNA-mRNA interactions.
  • Synthesis of findings regarding miRNA expression changes in cancer tissues and exosomes.

Main Results:

  • Cellular and extracellular miRNA expression changes correlate with cancer prognosis.
  • miRNAs directly bind to proteins and mRNAs, influencing cancer progression.
  • miRNA-protein systems represent a key regulatory mechanism in cancer.

Conclusions:

  • miRNAs are critical regulators of cellular functions and are involved in cancer development.
  • Altered miRNA expression patterns serve as potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis.
  • miRNA-based strategies offer promising avenues for molecular-targeted cancer therapy.
Keywords:
RNA-binding proteincancer therapymicroRNA

More Related Videos

miRNA Expression Analyses in Prostate Cancer Clinical Tissues11:29

miRNA Expression Analyses in Prostate Cancer Clinical Tissues

Published on: September 8, 2015

11.0K
Characterization of Functionally Associated miRNAs in Glioblastoma and their Engineering into Artificial Clusters for Gene Therapy09:40

Characterization of Functionally Associated miRNAs in Glioblastoma and their Engineering into Artificial Clusters for Gene Therapy

Published on: October 4, 2019

5.8K

Related Concept Videos

MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...
3.2K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
3.9K
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
4.7K
Experimental RNAi02:15

Experimental RNAi

RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular mechanism that inhibits gene expression by suppressing its transcription or activating the RNA degradation process. The mechanism was discovered by Andrew Fire and Craig Mello in 1998 in plants. Today, it is observed in almost all eukaryotes, including protozoa, flies, nematodes, insects, parasites, and mammals. This precise cellular mechanism of gene silencing has been developed into a technique that provides an efficient way to identify and determine the...
6.4K
Tumor Progression02:07

Tumor Progression

Tumor progression is a phenomenon where the pre-formed tumor acquires successive mutations to become clinically more aggressive and malignant. In the 1950s, Foulds first described the stepwise progression of cancer cells through successive stages.
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
6.6K
lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs02:39

lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs

In humans, more than 80% of the genome gets transcribed. However, only around 2% of the genome codes for proteins. The remaining part produces non-coding RNAs which includes ribosomal RNAs, transfer RNAs, telomerase RNAs, and regulatory RNAs, among other types. A large number of regulatory non-coding RNAs have been classified into two groups depending upon their length – small non-coding RNAs, such as microRNA, which are less than 200 nucleotides in length, and long non-coding RNA...
9.0K