The Role of MicroRNAs in Lung Cancer Metabolism

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Tumor cells exhibit dysregulation in metabolic activities compared with normal cells. Lung cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers globally. Studies have shown that miRNAs play important roles in metabolic reprogramming and our review aims to identify the roles of different miRNAs in metabolic aberrancies of lung cancer. Potentially, a few miRNAs could serve as biomarkers and therapeutic avenues depending on their significance to lung cancer metabolism. ABSTRACT: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short-strand non-coding RNAs that are responsible for post-transcriptional regulation of many biological processes. Their differential expression is important in supporting tumorigenesis by causing dysregulation in normal biological functions including cell proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis and invasion and cellular metabolism. Cellular metabolic processes are a tightly regulated mechanism. However, cancer cells have adapted features to circumvent these regulations, recognizing metabolic reprogramming as an important hallmark of cancer. The miRNA expression profile may differ between localized lung cancers, advanced lung cancers and solid tumors, which lead to a varying extent of metabolic deregulation. Emerging evidence has shown the relationship between the differential expression of miRNAs with lung cancer metabolic reprogramming in perpetuating tumorigenesis. This review provides an insight into the role of different miRNAs in lung cancer metabolic reprogramming by targeting key enzymes, transporter proteins or regulatory components alongside metabolic signaling pathways. These discussions would allow a deeper understanding of the importance of miRNAs in tumor progression therefore providing new avenues for diagnostic, therapeutic and disease management applications.