Non-coding RNAs in Wilms’ tumor: biological function, mechanism, and clinical implications

• Published in: Journal of molecular medicine (Berlin, Germany) Vol. 99; no. 8; pp. 1043 - 1055
• Main Authors: de Sá Pereira, Bruna Maria, Montalvão de Azevedo, Rafaela, da Silva Guerra, João Victor, Faria, Paulo A., Soares-Lima, Sheila Coelho, De Camargo, Beatriz, Maschietto, Mariana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-08-2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: 1-Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; Biomarkers, Tumor; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cancer; Chemotherapy; Disease Susceptibility; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Embryos; Epigenetics; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Human Genetics; Humans; Internal Medicine; Metastases; MicroRNAs - genetics; Molecular Medicine; Non-coding RNA; Nucleotides; Physiology; Review; RNA Interference; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Untranslated - genetics; Signal Transduction; Tumorigenesis; Tumors; Wilms Tumor - diagnosis; Wilms Tumor - etiology; Wilms Tumor - metabolism; Wilms Tumor - therapy; Wnt protein; Small non-coding RNAs; Cell signaling pathways; Gene expression regulation; Wilms’ tumor; MicroRNAs
• ISSN: 0946-2716; 1432-1440
• DOI: 10.1007/s00109-021-02075-1

Non-coding RNAs are involved with maintenance and regulation of physiological mechanisms and are involved in pathological processes, such as cancer. Among the small ncRNAs, miRNAs are the most explored in tumorigenesis, metastasis development, and resistance to chemotherapy. These small molecules of ~ 22 nucleotides are modulated during early renal development, involved in the regulation of gene expression and Wilms’ tumor progression. Wilms’ tumors are embryonic tumors with few mutations and complex epigenetic dysregulation. In recent years, the small ncRNAs have been explored as potentially related both in physiological development and in the tumorigenesis of several types of cancer. Besides, genes regulated by miRNAs are related to biological pathways as PI3K, Wnt, TGF-β, and Hippo signaling pathways, among others, which may be involved with the underlying mechanisms of resistance to chemotherapy, and in this way, it has emerged as potential targets for cancer therapies, including for Wilms’ tumors.