MicroRNAs在恶性肿瘤分子诊断和预后预测中的应用

Application of microRNAs in molecular diagnosis and prognostic prediction of malignant tumors

微小RNA(microRNA,miRNA)是近年来发现的一类长度为18～26个核苷酸的非编码小分子RNA,它在转录后水平调控基因的表达,其表达情况与机体众多生理病理状态密切相关。目前发现,恶性肿瘤组织和血液循环中存在不同于正常机体的特征性miRNA表达谱,通过测定这些miRNA的表达变化可能可以成为恶性肿瘤早期诊断和预后预测的重要手段。本文总结了miRNA在恶性肿瘤性疾病分子诊断领域的研究进展,为疾病分子诊断学研究及临床实践提供参考。

MicroRNAs（miRNAs）, a known family of small noncoding RNAs （approximately 18-26 nucleotides in lenghth）, have been shown to regulate genetic expression via translational inhibition or messenger RNA （mRNA） degradation and changes in the concentration of these moleculars can be correlated with many physiological or pathological characteristics. Recent studies have revealed that miRNAs, the disease specific expression of which can be found in the tissue or blood circulation of cancers, promise to have an impact on laboratory medicine as early diagnostic and prognostic markers in malignant tumors. Our article summarized the recent progression on the research field of miRNA and its association with cancer diagnosis and prognostic evaluation in order to provide data for molecular diagnosis and clinical practices.