Biotechnology Bulletin ›› 2020, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (8): 194-200.doi: 10.13560/j.cnki.biotech.bull.1985.2019-0960

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Mutual Regulation of microRNAs and Epigenetics in Human Cancers

TANG De-ping1, YAO Hui-hui1, TANG Jin-zhou2, MAO Ai-hong2   

  1. 1. School of Chemical & Biological Engineering,Lanzhou Jiaotong University,Lanzhou 730070;;
    2. Institute of Gansu Medical Science Research,Lanzhou 730050
  • Received:2019-10-10 Online:2020-08-26 Published:2020-08-27

Abstract: Along with the crucial role of genetic abnormalities,epigenetic aberration is emerging as one key relevant player in human cancers. Nowadays,accumulating evidences suggest that microRNAs(miRNAs),as an important regulator in epigenetics,enter the epigenetic field. miRNAs and epigenetic machinery are the interactional players in the regulation of gene expression. Indeed,compelling evidence has indicated that epigenetic modifications,such as DNA methylation or histone acetylation,can affect miRNAs expression,and to be potentially responsible for the aberrant miRNA observed in cancer,in turn,miRNAs also can control the epigenetic machinery through directly targeting its enzymatic components. This review will describe the mutual regulation of miRNAs and epigenetics,and particularly focus on illuminating how epigenetics can affect the miRNAs expression,as well as how miRNAs can control epigenetics in human cancer. Finally,the review will discuss the translational clinical implications of the epigenetics/miRNA mutual regulation.

Key words: microRNAs, epigenetics, DNA methylation, histone modification, cancer