Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 29, 2025

Continuous Fluorescence-Based Endonuclease-Coupled DNA Methylation Assay to Screen for DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors
06:07

Continuous Fluorescence-Based Endonuclease-Coupled DNA Methylation Assay to Screen for DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors

Published on: August 5, 2022

2.7K

Crosstalk between miRNAs and DNA Methylation in Cancer

Michela Saviana1, Patricia Le1, Lavender Micalo1

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1250 E. Marshall Street, Richmond, VA 23298, USA.

Genes
|May 27, 2023
PubMed

Insights

DNA methylation and microRNAs (miRNAs) are key epigenetic regulators. Their interplay influences gene expression and cancer development, offering potential therapeutic and biomarker strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Epigenetics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial gene expression regulators involved in physiological processes and disease pathogenesis.
  • DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification critical for gene silencing, particularly tumor suppressor genes in cancer.
  • Aberrant epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation and miRNA dysregulation, are implicated in cancer development and progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the intricate crosstalk between DNA methylation and miRNA expression in cancer pathogenesis.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms by which miRNAs influence DNA methylation and vice versa.
  • To explore the potential of these epigenetic modifications as cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies investigating the relationship between DNA methylation and miRNA expression in cancer.
  • Analysis of molecular mechanisms underlying miRNA promoter methylation and miRNA-mediated regulation of DNA methylation machinery.
  • Synthesis of evidence on the role of this epigenetic crosstalk in various tumor types.

Main Results:

  • DNA methylation in miRNA promoter regions can inhibit miRNA transcription.
  • miRNAs can target transcripts encoding proteins involved in DNA methylation, thus regulating the epigenome.
  • This reciprocal regulation plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of multiple cancer types.
  • The interplay between DNA methylation and miRNAs represents a complex regulatory network in cancer.

Conclusions:

  • The crosstalk between DNA methylation and miRNAs is a critical layer of gene regulation in cancer.
  • Understanding this epigenetic interplay is essential for developing novel cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.
  • Targeting these epigenetic modifications holds promise for future cancer treatment strategies.
Keywords:
DNA methylationcancermiRNA

More Related Videos

CRISPR Gene Editing Tool for MicroRNA Cluster Network Analysis10:40

CRISPR Gene Editing Tool for MicroRNA Cluster Network Analysis

Published on: April 25, 2022

2.4K
Methyl-binding DNA capture Sequencing for Patient Tissues08:40

Methyl-binding DNA capture Sequencing for Patient Tissues

Published on: October 31, 2016

8.7K

Related Concept Videos

Epigenetic Regulation01:46

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
31.1K
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...
3.0K
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells01:06

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce different cell types. Ordinarily, cells that have differentiated into a specific cell type are terminally differentiated; however, scientists have found a way to reprogram these mature cells so that they dedifferentiate and return to an unspecialized, proliferative state. These cells are pluripotent like embryonic stem cells—able to produce all cell types—and are called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Somatic...
4.2K
Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance02:30

Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance

Diploid organisms inherit genetic material through chromosomes from both parents. Copies of the same gene are known as alleles. In most cases, both alleles are simultaneously expressed and allow various cellular processes to function optimally. If one of the alleles is missing or mutated, the expression of the other allele can compensate; however, this is not true for all genes.
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...
34.7K
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...
8.7K
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...
4.6K