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PMID: 23624759 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Review

Friend or foe: the role of microRNA in chemotherapy resistance.

Acta pharmacologica Sinica ·Vol. 34 ·No. 7 ·2013-07-00 ·Pages 870-9

Li H, Yang BB

Abstract

Chemotherapy has been widely used in treating cancer patients. Despite the tremendous progress in cancer treatment achieved during the last decades, drug resistance still accounts for most of the tumor relapses in chemotherapy-treated patients. Emerging evidence shows that microRNAs play an important role in regulating the drug sensitivity of tumor cells. However, the mechanism of microRNA-mediated drug resistance is not fully understood. Current data suggest that microRNAs can be categorized as oncogenic or tumor-suppressive based on their functions and targets. In tumor cells undergoing drug treatment, microRNAs can function either by decreasing expression of genes associated with multiple drug resistance or by promoting escape from apoptosis and inducing tumor stem cell development. This review aims to provide an updated understanding of the role of microRNAs in regulating chemotherapy resistance and a discussion of potential therapeutic applications.

MeSH Terms
Animals Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology,therapeutic use Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/drug effects,physiology Humans MicroRNAs/physiology Neoplasms/drug therapy,genetics
Chemicals
Antineoplastic Agents MicroRNAs
Authors & Affiliations
2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Li Haoran
Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Yang Burton B
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Article Info
Journal
Acta pharmacologica Sinica
Abbr.
Acta Pharmacol Sin
ISSN
1745-7254
DOI
10.1038/aps.2013.35
Published
2013-07-00
Epub
2013-00-29
Pages
870-9
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
100956087
PMCID
PMC3703710
Subset
IM
Grants
Canadian Institutes of Health Research · MOP-102635 · Canada
Canadian Institutes of Health Research · MOP-111171 · Canada
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1038/aps.2013.35 PMC Full Text View journal details
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