The role of miRNAs in ovarian cancer pathogenesis and therapeutic resistance - A focus on signaling pathways interplay

Pathol Res Pract. 2022 Dec:240:154222. doi: 10.1016/j.prp.2022.154222. Epub 2022 Nov 15.

Abstract

One of the most prevalent and lethal forms of gynecological cancer is ovarian cancer (OC), which is often diagnosed in its latter, deadly stages. The OC's high mortality and heterogeneity impede early identification and primary prevention. Thus, numerous studies have looked for biomarkers in OC tissue and blood samples to help early diagnosis and decrease the mortality rate using microRNAs (miRNAs). The miRNAs are short, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that are typically approximately 22 nucleotides in length and act as oncogenic or tumor suppressors via degrading or impeding target mRNA translation. By regulating cellular activities and signaling pathways, miRNAs promote carcinogenesis and the invasiveness of OC cells. In this review, we explore the function of miRNAs in the pathophysiology of OC, their use as biomarkers, future implications, and the direction of future research. The review also underlines the involvement of miRNAs in the most significant pathways affecting the pathogenesis of OC and their relevance to treatment resistance.

Keywords: Drug resistance; Oncogenic miRNAs; Ovarian cancer (OC); Pathogenesis; Tumor suppressor (TS) miRNAs.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Carcinogenesis
  • Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs* / genetics
  • Ovarian Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • MicroRNAs