Title:miR-149 as a Potential Molecular Target for Cancer
Volume: 25
Issue: 9
Author(s): Suet H. Ow, Pei J. Chua and Boon H. Bay*
Affiliation:
- Department of Anatomy, National University of Singapore,Singapore
Keywords:
miR-149, cancer progression, therapeutic target, miRNA mimics, miRNA inhibitors, epigenetics.
Abstract: Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are frequently dysregulated in cancers and
serve as attractive targets for prognostication and therapeutic applications. Besides cancer, the
biological functions of miR-149 have been studied in various diseases. This review aims to
summarize the reports available in the literature, regarding miR-149 as a molecular target for
cancer therapeutics.
Methods: An extensive literature search was conducted using the Pubmed database to sieve
out articles related to the roles of miR-149 in carcinogenesis and cancer progression, and
potential miRNA-based therapies. A total of 89 publications were selected for inclusion in
this review.
Results: Depending on the cancer type, miR-149 can behave either as a tumor suppressor or
as an ‘onco-miR' that promotes tumorigenesis and cancer spread, suggesting that this miRNA
has diverse functions. Potential miRNA-based therapies include the use of miRNA mimics,
miRNA inhibitors, demethylating agents and circular RNAs.
Conclusion: Although targeting miRNA is an attractive anti-cancer strategy, not all cancers
can be treated by the same miRNA-based strategy. A comprehensive understanding of
miRNA regulatory mechanism is also necessary to improve the design of miRNA-based
therapeutics and there is a need for safe and efficient delivery methods when using this approach
for anti-cancer treatment.
