MicroRNAs in Brain Tumors

摘要: Malignant brain tumors are one of the leading causes cancer-related deaths or disability in adults and children. Although current tumor therapy is primarily based on diagnostic histopathology, it increasingly clear that with similar indistinguishable histologies can exhibit substantial molecular heterogeneity dictate clinical phenotypes. Recent whole genome studies indicate diversity not only result from diverse mechanisms initiation/progression but may also reflect distinct cellular derivation. Indeed, defects drive development/progression overlap substantially key pathways regulate normal central nervous system development. Increasing evidence implicates microRNAs (miRNAs) critical signaling cycling, differentiation, death ultimately cell fate/identity neural progenitor/precursor cells. Not surprisingly, dysregulated miRNA expression occurs a spectrum tumors; many loci map up- downstream canonical pathways, modulate oncogenic phenotypes Importantly, presence recurrent genetic alterations which target specific miRNAs (e.g. C19MC, miR-17-92) primary further highlight causative roles for pathogenesis. These collective discoveries offer clinicians exciting prospects novel therapeutic strategies provide important new tools to refine deliver greater precision prognostication treatment planning/stratification at bedside. This chapter reviews role malignant gliomas childhood embryonal – medulloblastoma primitive neuroectodermal tumors, have been most extensively investigated.