Regulatory mechanisms of microRNAs in colorectal cancer and colorectal cancer stem cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most lethal and hard‐to‐treat cancers in the world, which in its advanced stages, surgery and chemotherapy are the main common treatment approaches. The microRNAs (miRNAs), as novel markers for CRC detection, promote their regulatory effects via the 3′‐untranslated binding region (3′‐UTR) of target messenger RNA in posttranscriptional regulation of genes and also play a pivotal role in modulating resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. These small noncoding RNAs have also a critical role in CRC stem cells (CRCSCs) regulation, comprising self‐renewal, differentiation, and tumorigenesis. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are distinctive cell types inside a tumor tissue that are believed to derive from normal somatic stem cells. The CSCs have self‐renewal abilities, angiogenesis, as well as specific surface markers expression characteristics. Furthermore, they are frequently criticized for tumor maintenance, treatment resistance, tumor development, and distant metastasis. In this review, we discuss the current understandings of CRCSCs and their environment with a focus on the role of miRNAs on the regulation of CSCs and their targeting application in CRC treatment. Schematic representation of the signaling cascades involved in colorectal cancer (CRC) and cancer stem cells. Understanding these cascades may lead to the establishment of novel diagnostic and treatment strategies for patients suffering from CRC.