MicroRNA-23b regulates cellular architecture and impairs motogenic and invasive phenotypes during cancer progression.

The cytoskeleton is a dynamic three dimensional structure contained within the cytoplasm of a cell, and is important in cell shape and movement, and in metastatic progression during carcinogenesis. Members of the Rho family of small GTPases, RHO, RAC and cell cycle division 42 (Cdc42) proteins regulate cytoskeletal dynamics, through the control of a panel of genes. We have recently shown that the microRNA (miRNA) miR-23b represents a central effector of cytoskeletal remodelling. It increases cell-cell interactions, modulates focal adhesion and reduces cell motility and invasion by directly regulating several genes involved in these processes.