doi: 10.5732/cjc.013.10094

MicroRNAs: regulators of cancer metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)

Xiang-Ming Ding

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

[Abstract] Tumor metastasis is the main cause of death in patients with solid tumors. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, in which epithelial cells are converted into mesenchymal cells, is frequently activated during cancer invasion and metastasis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that provide widespread expressional control by repressing mRNA translation and inducing mRNA degradation. The fundamental roles of miRNAs in tumor growth and metastasis have been increasingly well recognized. A growing number of miRNAs are reported to regulate tumor invasion/metastasis through EMT-related and/or non-EMT–related mechanisms. In this review, we discuss the functional role and molecular mechanism of miRNAs in regulating cancer metastasis and EMT.

Chinese Journal of Cancer 2014, Volume: 33, Issue 3, Page: 140-147

[ PDF Full-text ]
[ Html full-text ](PubMed Central)
[ PubMed ]
[Google Scholar]

Cite this article

Xiang-Ming Ding. MicroRNAs: regulators of cancer metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Chin J Cancer. 2014, 33(3):140-147. doi:10.5732/cjc.013.10094


Export citations

EndNote