A study of miRNAs as cornerstone in lung cancer pathogenesis and therapeutic resistance: A focus on signaling pathways interplay

Abstract

Lung cancer (LC) is the most common cancer-related death globally, and many efforts have been made to improve the patient care of LC patients, as well as the development of efficient methods and a wider range of biomarkers for prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment purposes. MicroRNAs (miRs, miRNAs) regulate a wide range of cellular functions and play a key role in the development and spreading of LC by inhibiting or degrading the expression of their target protein-coding genes. Because of their dysregulation and disruption in function, miRNAs have been linked to the malignant pathophysiology of LC by influencing many cellular functions involved in the disease. These biological processes include increased invasive and proliferative potential, cell cycle abnormality, apoptosis evasion, promotion of angiogenesis, EMT and metastasis, and reduced susceptibility to certain treatments. Here, we discuss the findings from recent years that show the role of oncogenic and TS miRNAs in LC, as well as their significance in LC pathogenesis, and resistance to anticancer therapy. We also explore the biological relevance of miRNAs and their clinical application in LC diagnosis and prognosis.

Keywords: Lung cancer (LC); Oncogenic miRNAs; Tumor suppressor (TS) miRNAs.