Oncogenic miRNAs and target therapies in colorectal cancer

•MiRNAs have been revealed to play key regulatory role in colorectal cancer (CRC).•OncomiRs are critical components of miRNAs related to malignant phenotypes of CRC.•MiRNAs can be potentially considered as important markers for the prognosis of CRC.•MiRNAs can be considered as an approach for targeted therapy in CRC. OncomiRNAs involved in human colorectal cancer (CRC) are capable of suppressing the expression of their targets via cleavage or translational arrest. Therefore, an improved understanding the functions of these oncomiRNAs and the molecular pathways in CRC development that they are involved in will assist in the manipulation of miRNAs, providing a novel therapeutic approach against CRC. In this review, we provide a particular perspective of miRNAs implicated in the progression of CRC. We describe an interaction network of CRC-associated miRNAs and their targets involved in tumor growth, proliferation, migration/invasion, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) formation, metastasis, and anticancer resistance. Additionally, the therapeutic potentials of these miRNAs in CRC are fully discussed. Thus, key oncogenic miRNAs involved in progression and metastasis of CRC (e.g., miR-181a/b, miR-135a/b, miR-150 and miR-150-5p, miR-155, miR-181b, miR-200 a/c, miR-22, miR-106a, hsa-miR-103a, hsa-miR-1827, miR-135b, miR-150 and miR-150-5p, miR-181b, and let-7f-5p) are considered in this review. Furthermore, proangiogenic and antiapoptotic miRNAs, their molecular regulatory networks, biological functions, and target genes are also discussed. An in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of miRNAs will increase the knowledge of miRNA regulatory function in the progression of CRC and promote the development of novel therapeutic measures.