miR-200c Regulation of Ovarian Cancer Metastasis
By: Siti Aishah Sulaiman (sitiaishahsulaiman@ukm.edu.my)
Ovarian cancer ranks as the most lethal of all gynecological malignancies, where most of the identified cases are epithelial ovarian cancers with five distinct subtypes: high-grade serous carcinoma, low-grade serous carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, endometrioid carcinoma and clear-cell carcinoma. Lack of an early diagnostic approach, high incidence of tumor relapse and the heterogenous characteristics of each EOC subtype contribute to the difficulties in developing precise intervention measures and therapies for the patients. MicroRNAs are single-stranded non-coding RNAs that have been shown to function as tumor suppressors or oncomiRs, and thus they may play a role in ovarian cancer progression. The miR-200 family, especially miR-200c, has been identified in ovarian cancer metastasis and invasion due to its functional regulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). A unique miR-200c dual expression profile correlates with each step in the ovarian cancer metastasis progression that may suggest its potential to be used a biomarker for early diagnosis. miR-200c’s regulatory role in EMT progression and in anoikis for cancer cell survival may offer a new research prospect in therapeutic development for this cancer. Understanding of the biology, molecular and pathways involved in ovarian cancer metastasis and progression is crucial to develop precise and effective treatment for this cancer.
(Sulaiman SA, Ab Mutalib N-S, Jamal R, 2016, miR-200c regulation of metastasis in Ovarian cancer: Potential role in epithelial and mesenchymal transition, Frontiers in Pharmacology 7: p271)
