Utility of MicroRNAs and siRNAs in Cervical Carcinogenesis

• Published in: BioMed research international 2015-01, Vol.2015 (2015), p.1-13
• Main Authors: Peralta-Zaragoza, Oscar, Rodríguez-Dorantes, Mauricio, Bermúdez-Morales, Victor Hugo, Gómez-Cerón, Claudia, Benítez-Boijseauneau, Odelia, Deas, Jessica, Díaz-González, Sacnite del Mar, Pérez-Plasencia, Carlos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomarkers; Biosynthesis; Cancer therapies; Carcinogenesis; Cell cycle; Cervical cancer; Chemotherapy; Female; Gene expression; Gene therapy; Genetic aspects; Health aspects; Human papillomavirus; Humans; Medical prognosis; Methods; MicroRNA; MicroRNAs; MicroRNAs - genetics; MicroRNAs - metabolism; Oncogene Proteins, Viral - genetics; Oncogene Proteins, Viral - metabolism; Papillomaviridae - genetics; Papillomaviridae - metabolism; Papillomavirus Infections - genetics; Papillomavirus Infections - metabolism; Proteins; Public health; Review; RNA sequencing; RNA, Neoplasm - genetics; RNA, Neoplasm - metabolism; RNA, Small Interfering - genetics; RNA, Small Interfering - metabolism; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - genetics; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - metabolism
• ISSN: 2314-6133; 2314-6141
• DOI: 10.1155/2015/374924

MicroRNAs and siRNAs belong to a family of small noncoding RNAs which bind through partial sequence complementarity to 3′-UTR regions of mRNA from target genes, resulting in the regulation of gene expression. MicroRNAs have become an attractive target for genetic and pharmacological modulation due to the critical function of their target proteins in several signaling pathways, and their expression profiles have been found to be altered in various cancers. A promising technology platform for selective silencing of cell and/or viral gene expression using siRNAs is currently in development. Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women in the developing world and sexually transmitted infection with HPV is the cause of this malignancy. Therefore, a cascade of abnormal events is induced during cervical carcinogenesis, including the induction of genomic instability, reprogramming of cellular metabolic pathways, deregulation of cell proliferation, inhibition of apoptotic mechanisms, disruption of cell cycle control mechanisms, and alteration of gene expression. Thus, in the present review article, we highlight new research on microRNA expression profiles which may be utilized as biomarkers for cervical cancer. Furthermore, we discuss selective silencing of HPV E6 and E7 with siRNAs which represents a potential gene therapy strategy against cervical cancer.