Cancer chemotherapy may induce a multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype. The development of MDR is based on various molecular causes, of which the following are very common: induction of ABC transporter expression; induction/activation of drug-metabolizing enzymes; alteration of the expression/function of apoptosis-related proteins; changes in cell cycle checkpoints; elevated DNA repair mechanisms. Although these mechanisms of MDR are well described, information on their molecular interaction in overall multidrug resistance is still lacking. MicroRNA (miRNA) expression and subsequent RNA interference are candidates that could be important players in the interplay of MDR mechanisms. The regulation of post-transcriptional processes in the proteosynthetic pathway is considered to be a major function of miRNAs. Due to their complementarity, they are able to bind to target mRNAs, which prevents the mRNAs from interacting effectively with the ribosome, and subsequent degradation of the mRNAs can occur. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the possible role of miRNAs in the molecular mechanisms that lead to MDR. The possibility of considering miRNAs as either specific effectors or interesting targets for cancer therapy is also analyzed.
Keywords: ABC transporters; apoptosis; cell cycle; miRNA; multidrug resistance.