Circulating MicroRNAs: Molecular microsensors in gastrointestinal cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small molecules of single strand non-coding RNAs, which are able to regulate gene expression. miRNAs have been involved in multiple cellular processes, such as proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation, thus alterations in miRNA expression have been shown to be directly lin...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Valladares Ayerbes, Manuel, Haz Conde, María del Mar, Blanco Calvo, Moisés, Antón Aparicio, Luis Miguel, Figueroa Conde-Valvís, Angélica, Calvo Martínez, Lourdes
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2012
País:España
Institución:Servizo Galego de Saúde (SERGAS)
Repositorio:RUNA. Repositorio da Consellería de Sanidade e Sergas
OAI Identifier:oai:runa.sergas.gal:20.500.11940/7455
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11940/7455
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms
Biomarkers, Tumor
MicroRNAs
Neoplasias Gastrointestinales
Biomarcadores de Tumor
Descripción
Sumario:MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small molecules of single strand non-coding RNAs, which are able to regulate gene expression. miRNAs have been involved in multiple cellular processes, such as proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation, thus alterations in miRNA expression have been shown to be directly linked with the pathological origin of multiple diseases, including cancer. In this way, during last few years, an increasing number of exciting advances have contributed to the understanding of miRNA roles in cancer. Moreover, researchers have exploited the special characteristics of miRNAs, such as the tissue and disease specificity or miRNA presence in blood, to explore their use as non-invasive tumour markers. In the present review, we summarize the current data on the potential usefulness of circulating miRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic tools in gastrointestinal tumours.