1
|
Sereno M, Videira M, Wilhelm I, Krizbai IA, Brito MA. miRNAs in Health and Disease: A Focus on the Breast Cancer Metastatic Cascade towards the Brain. Cells 2020; 9:E1790. [PMID: 32731349 PMCID: PMC7463742 DOI: 10.3390/cells9081790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that mainly act by binding to target genes to regulate their expression. Due to the multitude of genes regulated by miRNAs they have been subject of extensive research in the past few years. This state-of-the-art review summarizes the current knowledge about miRNAs and illustrates their role as powerful regulators of physiological processes. Moreover, it highlights their aberrant expression in disease, including specific cancer types and the differential hosting-metastases preferences that influence several steps of tumorigenesis. Considering the incidence of breast cancer and that the metastatic disease is presently the major cause of death in women, emphasis is put in the role of miRNAs in breast cancer and in the regulation of the different steps of the metastatic cascade. Furthermore, we depict their involvement in the cascade of events underlying breast cancer brain metastasis formation and development. Collectively, this review shall contribute to a better understanding of the uniqueness of the biologic roles of miRNAs in these processes, to the awareness of miRNAs as new and reliable biomarkers and/or of therapeutic targets, which can change the landscape of a poor prognosis and low survival rates condition of advanced breast cancer patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Sereno
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.S.); (M.V.)
| | - Mafalda Videira
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.S.); (M.V.)
- Department of Galenic Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Imola Wilhelm
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary, Temesvári krt. 62, 6726 Szeged, Hungary; (I.W.); (I.A.K.)
- Institute of Life Sciences, Vasile Goldiş Western University of Arad, Arad, Romania, Str. Liviu Rebreanu 86, 310414 Arad, Romania
| | - István A. Krizbai
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary, Temesvári krt. 62, 6726 Szeged, Hungary; (I.W.); (I.A.K.)
- Institute of Life Sciences, Vasile Goldiş Western University of Arad, Arad, Romania, Str. Liviu Rebreanu 86, 310414 Arad, Romania
| | - Maria Alexandra Brito
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.S.); (M.V.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Human Biology, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|