open access

https://hdl.handle.net/2115/83994

PIWI-Interacting RNAs (piRNAs) : Promising Applications as Emerging Biomarkers for Digestive System Cancer

therapeutic target

2022-01-27

Frontiers

Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences

9

848105

PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a novel type of small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs), which are 26–31 nucleotides in length and bind to PIWI proteins. Although piRNAs were originally discovered in germline cells and are thought to be essential regulators for germline preservation, they can also influence gene expression in somatic cells. An increasing amount of data has shown that the dysregulation of piRNAs can both promote and repress the emergence and progression of human cancers through DNA methylation, transcriptional silencing, mRNA turnover, and translational control. Digestive cancers are currently a major cause of cancer deaths worldwide. piRNAs control the expression of essential genes and pathways associated with digestive cancer progression and have been reported as possible biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of digestive cancer. Here, we highlight recent advances in understanding the involvement of piRNAs, as well as potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications of piRNAs in various digestive cancers.

学術雑誌論文

Version of Record

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

2296-889X