miR-214 as a key hub that controls cancer networks: small player, multiple functions

J Invest Dermatol. 2015 Apr;135(4):960-969. doi: 10.1038/jid.2014.479. Epub 2014 Dec 11.

Abstract

MicroRNAs are short regulatory RNAs that are able to post-transcriptionally modulate gene expression and that have crucial roles in the control of physiological and pathological processes including cancer onset, growth, and progression. miR-214, located inside the sequence of the long noncoding Dmn3os transcript, contributes to the regulation of normal and cancer cell biology, even if it operates in a context-dependent and sometimes contradictory manner. miR-214 is deregulated in several human tumors including melanoma, breast, ovarian, gastric, and hepatocellular carcinomas. miR-214's pleiotropic and tumor-specific contribution to various cancer formation and progression hallmarks is achieved via its several target genes. In fact, miR-214 behaves as a key hub by coordinating fundamental signaling networks such as PTEN/AKT, β-catenin, and tyrosine kinase receptor pathways. Interestingly, miR-214 also regulates the levels of crucial gene expression modulators: the epigenetic repressor Ezh2, "genome guardian" p53, transcription factors TFAP2, and another microRNA, miR-148b. Thus, miR-214 seems to have essential roles in coordinating tumor proliferation, stemness, angiogenesis, invasiveness, extravasation, metastasis, resistance to chemotherapy, and microenvironment. The sum of current literature reports suggests that miR-214 is a molecular hub involved in the control of cancer networks and, as such, could be a potential diagnostic/prognostic biomarker and target for therapeutic intervention.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Cell Cycle
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cell Survival
  • Disease Progression
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • MicroRNAs / physiology*
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic
  • Signal Transduction
  • Skin / metabolism

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • MIRN214 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs