Epigenetic regulation of tumor growth: micro RNA as biomarkers and possible new drugs

Micro RNAs are single stranded non-coding RNAs of about 15-23 in lenght that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Many of the miRNAs idetified to date are aberrantly expressed in a broad range of different cancer types, indicating that they can function as conventional tumour suppressor and/or oncogenes. The ability to repress many oncogenes at once and across different oncogenic pathways and the ability of miRNAs to circulate in biologic fluids caried by proteins, lipids and exosomes provides a strong rationale for developing miRNA-based cancer therapies.