TY - JOUR

T1 - Regulatory mechanisms of microRNA expression

AU - Gulyaeva, Lyudmila F.

AU - Kushlinskiy, Nicolay E.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by Russian Science Foundation, project # 15-15-30012. Publisher Copyright: © 2016 The Author(s).

PY - 2016/5/20

Y1 - 2016/5/20

N2 - MicroRNAs (miRs, miRNAs) are small molecules of 18-22 nucleotides that serve as important regulators of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. One of the mechanisms through which miRNAs regulate gene expression involves the interaction of their "seed" sequences primarily with 3'-end and more rarely with 5'-end, of mRNA transcribed from target genes. Numerous studies over the past decade have been devoted to quantitative and qualitative assessment of miRNAs expression and have shown remarkable changes in miRNA expression profiles in various diseases. Thus, profiling of miRNA expression can be an important tool for diagnostics and treatment of disease. However, less attention has been paid towards understanding the underlying reasons for changes in miRNA expression, especially in cancer cells. The purpose of this review is to analyze and systematize current data that explains reasons for changes in the expression of miRNAs. The review will cover both transcriptional (changes in gene expression and promoter hypermethylation) and post-transcriptional (changes in miRNA processing) mechanisms of regulation of miRNA expression, as well as effects of endogenous (hormones, cytokines) and exogenous (xenobiotics) compounds on the miRNA expression. The review will summarize the complex multilevel regulation of miRNA expression, in relation to cell type, physiological state of the body and various external factors.

AB - MicroRNAs (miRs, miRNAs) are small molecules of 18-22 nucleotides that serve as important regulators of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. One of the mechanisms through which miRNAs regulate gene expression involves the interaction of their "seed" sequences primarily with 3'-end and more rarely with 5'-end, of mRNA transcribed from target genes. Numerous studies over the past decade have been devoted to quantitative and qualitative assessment of miRNAs expression and have shown remarkable changes in miRNA expression profiles in various diseases. Thus, profiling of miRNA expression can be an important tool for diagnostics and treatment of disease. However, less attention has been paid towards understanding the underlying reasons for changes in miRNA expression, especially in cancer cells. The purpose of this review is to analyze and systematize current data that explains reasons for changes in the expression of miRNAs. The review will cover both transcriptional (changes in gene expression and promoter hypermethylation) and post-transcriptional (changes in miRNA processing) mechanisms of regulation of miRNA expression, as well as effects of endogenous (hormones, cytokines) and exogenous (xenobiotics) compounds on the miRNA expression. The review will summarize the complex multilevel regulation of miRNA expression, in relation to cell type, physiological state of the body and various external factors.

KW - Cancer

KW - Cytokines

KW - Gene expression

KW - Hypermethylation

KW - MicroRNA expression

KW - MiRNA processing

KW - Nuclear receptors

KW - Xenobiotics

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84969543193&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1186/s12967-016-0893-x

DO - 10.1186/s12967-016-0893-x

M3 - Review article

C2 - 27197967

AN - SCOPUS:84969543193

VL - 14

JO - Journal of Translational Medicine

JF - Journal of Translational Medicine

SN - 1479-5876

IS - 1

M1 - 143

ER -