Principles of microRNA involvement in human cancers

Naturally occurring microRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs of 19 to 24 nucleotides (nt), are encoded in the genomes of invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants. miRNAs act as regulators of gene expression during development and differentiation at the transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and/or translational levels, although most target genes are still elusive. Many miRNAs are conserved in sequence between distantly related organisms, suggesting that these molecules participate in essential processes. In this review, we present principles related to the basic and translational research that has emerged in the last decade, a period that can be truly considered the “miRNA revolution” in molecular oncology. These principles include the regulation mechanism of miRNA expression, functions of miRNAs in cancers, diagnostic values and therapeutic potentials of miRNAs. Furthermore, we present a compendium of information about the main miRNAs that have been identified in the last several years as playing important roles in cancers. Also, we orient the reader to several additional reviews that may provide a deeper understanding of this new and exciting field of research.