Biomed Pharmacother. 2016 Dec 19;86:262-270. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2016.12.023. [Epub ahead of print]
Author information
- 1Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
- 2Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: Behzad_im@yahoo.com.
Abstract
MicroRNAs' expression profiles have recently gained major attention as far as cancer
research is concerned. MicroRNAs are able to inhibit target gene
expression via binding to the 3' UTR of target mRNA, resulting in target
mRNA cleavage or translation inhibition. MicroRNAs play significant
parts in a myriad of biological processes; studies have proven, on the
other hand, that aberrant microRNA expression is, more often than not,
associated with the growth and progression of cancers. MicroRNAs could
act as oncogenes (oncomir) or tumor suppressors and can also be utilized
as biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and cancer therapy. Recent studies have shown that such herbal
extracts as Shikonin, Sinomenium acutum, curcumin, Olea europaea,
ginseng, and Coptidis Rhizoma could alter microRNA expression profiles
through inhibiting cancer cell development, activating the apoptosis pathway, or increasing the efficacy of conventional cancer therapeutics. Such findings patently suggest that the novel specific targeting of microRNAs by herbal
extracts could complete the restriction of tumors by killing the
cancerous cells so as to recover survival results in patients diagnosed
with malignancies. In this review, we summarized the current research
about microRNA biogenesis, microRNAs in cancer, herbal compounds with anti-cancer effects and novel strategies for employing herbal extracts in order to target microRNAs for a better treatment of patients diagnosed with cancer.
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS:
Coptidis rhizoma; Curcumin; Ginseng; Herbal medicine; Micro RNA; Olea europaea; Shikonin; Sinomenium acutum- PMID:
- 28006752
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.biopha.2016.12.023
