The emerging role of miR-200 family in metastasis: focus on EMT, CSCs, angiogenesis, and anoikis

Introduction Cancer is the second major threat to human society and one of the main challenges facing healthcare systems. One of the main problems of cancer care is the metastases of cancer cells that cause 90% of deaths due to cancer. Multiple molecular mechanisms are involved in cancer cell metastasis. Therefore, a better understanding of these molecular mechanisms is necessary for designing restrictive strategies against cancer cell metastasis. Accumulating data suggests that MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in metastasis and invasion of human tumors through regulating multiple genes expression levels that are involved in molecular mechanisms of metastasis. The goal of this review is to present the molecular pathways by which the miR 200 family manifests its effects on EMT, cancer stem cells, angiogenesis, anoikis, and the effects of tumor cell metastases. Methods A detailed literature search was conducted to find information about the role of the miR-200 family in the processes involved in metastasis in various databases. Results Numerous lines of evidence revealed an association between the mir-200 family and metastasis of human tumors by impressing processes such as cancer stem cells, EMT, angiogenesis, and anoikis. Conclusions Understanding the molecular mechanisms associated with metastasis in which the miR-200 family is involved can be effective in treating metastatic cancers. Graphic abstract