Abstract
The high death toll of colorectal cancer patients is due to metastatic disease which is difficult to treat. The liver is the preferred site of metastasis, followed by the lungs and peritoneum. In order to identify new targets and new modalities of intervention we surveyed the literature for microRNAs (miRs) which modulate metastasis of colorectal cancer in preclinical in vivo models. We identified 12 up-regulated and 19 down-regulated miRs corresponding to the latter criterium. The vast majority (n=16) of identified miRs are involved in modulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Other categories of metastasis-related miRs exhibit tumor- and metastasis-suppressing functions, modulation of signaling pathways, transmembrane receptors and a class of miRs, which interfere with targets which do not fit into these categories. Finally, we discuss the principles of miR inhibition and reconstitution of function, prospective clinical evaluation of with miR-related agents in the context of clinical evaluation in metastasis relevant settings.
- Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)
- invasion and migration
- in vivo metastasis-related models
- microRNA (miR)
- miR-related therapeutic agents
- liver metastasis
- oncogenic signaling pathways
- TGFβ signaling
- tumor- and -metastasis suppressors
- review
- Received June 15, 2020.
- Revision received July 8, 2020.
- Accepted July 17, 2020.
- Copyright© 2020, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved