MicroRNA与食管癌研究新进展

Research Advance on MicroRNA and Esophageal Cancer

MicroRNAs(miRNAs)是一类长19～22个核苷酸的内源性非编码的小分子RNA,通过对靶基因转录后水平的负调控,几乎参与了体内所有的基本信号传导途径。近年来越来越多的研究资料表明miRNA与肿瘤的发生、分化、转移及复发等密切相关,miRNA在食管癌的早期诊断、治疗和预后中有可能成为肿瘤诊断新的生物学标志和肿瘤基因治疗的新靶点。本文对miRNA与肿瘤的关系及其在食管癌的诊断、预后和基因治疗方面的潜在作用做一概述。

MicroRNAs （miRNAs） are a class of noncoding RNAs of 19 - 22 nucleotides that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, miRNAs have been demonstrated to be involved in almost all basic signaling pathways. Recent increased data indicate that miRNAs are closely associated with tumor genesis, differentiation, metastasis and relapse. They might be used as for early diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of this disease, miRNAs might act as new biomarkers for tumor diagnosis and new targets for tumor gene therapy. This article focused on the relationship between miRNAs and esophageal cancer, as well as their potential use in the diagnosis, prognosis and gene therapy for esophageal cancer.