Radio-miRs: a comprehensive view of radioresistance-related microRNAs.
Abraham Pedroza-TorresSandra L Romero-CórdobaSarita MontañoOscar Peralta-ZaragozaDora Emma Vélez-UrizaCristian Arriaga-CanonXiadani Guajardo-BarretoDiana Bautista-SánchezRodrigo Sosa-LeónOlivia Hernández-GonzálezJosé Díaz-ChávezRosa María Alvarez-GómezLuis A HerreraPublished in: Genetics (2024)
Radiotherapy is a key treatment option for a wide variety of human tumors, employed either alone or alongside with other therapeutic interventions. Radiotherapy uses high-energy particles to destroy tumor cells, blocking their ability to divide and proliferate. The effectiveness of radiotherapy is due to genetic and epigenetic factors that determine how tumor cells respond to ionizing radiation. These factors contribute to the establishment of resistance to radiotherapy, which increases the risk of poor clinical prognosis of patients. Although the mechanisms by which tumor cells induce radioresistance are unclear, evidence points out several contributing factors including the overexpression of DNA repair systems, increased levels of reactive oxygen species, alterations in the tumor microenvironment, and enrichment of cancer stem cell populations. In this context, dysregulation of microRNAs or miRNAs, critical regulators of gene expression, may influence how tumors respond to radiation. There is increasing evidence that miRNAs may act as sensitizers or enhancers of radioresistance, regulating key processes such as the DNA damage response and the cell death signaling pathway. Furthermore, expression and activity of miRNAs have shown informative value in overcoming radiotherapy and long-term radiotoxicity, revealing their potential as biomarkers. In this review, we will discuss the molecular mechanisms associated with the response to radiotherapy and highlight the central role of miRNAs in regulating the molecular mechanisms responsible for cellular radioresistance. We will also review radio-miRs, radiotherapy-related miRNAs, either as sensitizers or enhancers of radioresistance that hold promise as biomarkers or pharmacological targets to sensitize radioresistant cells.
Keyphrases
- dna damage response
- early stage
- dna repair
- locally advanced
- cancer stem cells
- radiation induced
- gene expression
- radiation therapy
- cell death
- signaling pathway
- dna damage
- randomized controlled trial
- dna methylation
- endothelial cells
- poor prognosis
- transcription factor
- end stage renal disease
- rectal cancer
- induced apoptosis
- squamous cell carcinoma
- newly diagnosed
- prognostic factors
- risk assessment
- epithelial mesenchymal transition
- genome wide
- long non coding rna
- big data
- solar cells
- human health
- replacement therapy
- drug induced
- binding protein
- genetic diversity