Macroautophagy/autophagy acts as an anti-tumor mechanism in early cancer stages but promotes growth in established tumors. Similarly, miRNAs function as tumor suppressors or oncogenes, depending on their target genes. This reciprocal relationship between autophagy and miRNAs is a well-studied area, primarily focused on how miRNAs regulate autophagy-related genes. Our research provides innovative insights into how autophagy selectively controls miRNAs. For instance, MIR224 is preferentially degraded within autophagosomes, leading to the upregulation of SMAD4 and suppressing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumorigenesis. Conversely, autophagy positively regulates MIR449A by degrading EP300/p300 to activate FOXO1 and facilitate MIR449A transcription in colorectal cancer (CRC). In conclusion, our findings reveal the role of autophagy in maintaining the cellular balance of two miRNAs to mitigate tumorigenic stresses and highlight that autophagy-regulated miRNA profiles may serve as diagnostic and therapeutic markers for cancer development.
Keywords: Cancer; MIR224; MIR449A; macroautophagy; tumorigenesis.