Apoptomirs: small molecules have gained the license to kill

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Endocrine-Related Cancer 17 (1) F37 -50 DOI: 10.1677/ERC-09-0163

Apoptomirs: small molecules have gained the license to kill

Vecchione1,2 and Carlo M Croce1

1 Human Cancer Genetics Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State

University, Columbus, OH, USA

2 Division of Pathology, University of Rome 'La Sapienza', Ospedale Sant',

Rome, Italy

(Correspondence should be addressed to A Vecchione, Human Cancer Genetics

Program, Division of Pathology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State

University, 400 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43216, USA; Email:

andrea.vecchione@... )

Apoptosis is a tightly regulated form of cell death and represents an important

process during normal development. In the past years, the scientific community

has produced remarkable advances in our understanding of cancer biology,

realizing that apoptosis and the genes that control it have a profound effect on

the malignant phenotype. Recently, a new class of non-coding RNA genes, known as

microRNA (miRNA or miR), have been demonstrated to play important roles in

diverse biological processes, including development, cell differentiation,

proliferation, and apoptosis. This suggests that other oncogenic mechanisms are

needed to produce selective pressure to override apoptosis during multistage

carcinogenesis. Intriguingly, since most cytotoxic anticancer agents induce

apoptosis, it is possible that defects in apoptotic programs may contribute to

treatment failure. Several studies strongly suggest a role for microRNAs in

modulating sensitive/resistant phenotypes to cytotoxic therapy, calling for

further investigation and validation of microRNA functions and targets in order

to improve sensitivity to cancer treatments, thus ultimately improving prognosis

and survival. Here, we review the current findings about microRNAs focusing on

their involvement in the apoptotic process.

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