The Roles of MicroRNA-141 in Human Cancers: From Diagnosis to Treatment

Cancer remains one of the most threatening causes of human health impairment, and the mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis have not been completely characterized. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of endogenous, small (18∼25 nucleotides) non-coding RNAs which negatively regulate gene expressions by directly binding to the 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTRs) of the target messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Increasing evidence has demonstrated abnormal miRNA profiles and confirmed their involvement in tumor initiation and progression. As one important member of the miR-200 family, microRNA (miR)-141 is aberrantly expressed in many human malignant tumors, participating in various cellular processes including epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), proliferation, migration, invasion, and drug resistance. In the present review, we briefly describe the mechanisms underlying miR-141-mediated tumorigenesis and the possible future of miR-141 as a potential diagnostic and prognostic parameter as well as therapeutic target in clinical applications.