MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a new class of negative regulators that repress
gene expression by pairing with their target messenger RNAs (mRNAs). There are
hundreds of miRNAs coded in the human genome and thousands of target mRNAs
participating in a wide variety of physiological processes such as development and cell
identity. It is therefore not surprising that several recent reports involved deregulated
miRNAs in the complex mechanism of human carcinogenesis, and proposed them as
new key regulators to correct the unbalanced expression of oncogenes and tumour
suppressor genes exhibited in cancer cells. This chapter summarizes most of the recent
patents related to the use of miRNA signatures in cancer diagnosis and prognosis, the
detection and profiling of miRNAs from tumour samples and the identification of
oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes targeted by miRNAs, as well as new cancer
therapies based on miRNA modulators.
Keywords: Cancer, cancer diagnosis, cancer therapy, gene therapy, microRNA,
miRNA, miRNA inhibitor, miRNA mimic, miRNA target, patent, RNA interference,
RNA silencing.
