The potential role of miR-451 in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy.

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small noncoding RNAs that converge to maintain an intrinsic balance of various processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Recent research efforts have been devoted to translating these basic discoveries into applications that could improve the early diagnosis and therapeutic outcome of patients with cancer. Early studies have shown that miRNA-451 (miR-451) is widely dysregulated in human cancers and plays a critical role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. In this review, we summarize the potential use of miR-451 for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. In addition, we discuss the possible mechanisms of miR-451 dysregulation and future challenges in development of miR-451 as a noninvasive biomarker and a potential therapeutic target in human cancers.