MicroRNAs as Promising Therapeutic Agents Against Prostate Cancer Resistant to Castration—Where Are We Now?
MicroRNAs are a conserved class of small, tissue-specific, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression to preserve cellular homeostasis. Proper miRNA expression is crucial for physiological balance because it affects numerous genetic pathways, including cell cycle control, proliferation, and apopt...
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MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/16/11/1347 |
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| author | Mariana Ferreira Mariana Morais Rui Medeiros Ana Luísa Teixeira |
| author_facet | Mariana Ferreira Mariana Morais Rui Medeiros Ana Luísa Teixeira |
| author_sort | Mariana Ferreira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | MicroRNAs are a conserved class of small, tissue-specific, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression to preserve cellular homeostasis. Proper miRNA expression is crucial for physiological balance because it affects numerous genetic pathways, including cell cycle control, proliferation, and apoptosis, through gene expression targeting. Deregulated miRNA expression has been implicated in several cancer types, including prostate cancer (PC), acting as tumor suppressors or oncogenes. Despite the availability of promising therapies to control tumor growth and progression, effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for different types of cancer are still lacking. PC continues to be a significant health challenge, particularly its castration-resistant (CRPC) form, which presents major therapeutic obstacles because of its resistance to conventional androgen deprivation treatments. This review explores miRNAs’ critical roles in gene regulation and cancer biology, as well as various miRNA delivery systems, highlighting their potential and the challenges in effectively targeting cancer cells. It aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the status of miRNA research in the fight against CRPC, summarizing miRNA-based therapies’ successes and limitations. It also highlights the promise of miRNAs as therapeutic agents for CRPC, underlining the need for further research to overcome existing challenges and move these therapies toward clinical applications. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-24ee2ad673b944ae995dba9e0eb6c8af |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1999-4923 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmaceutics |
| spelling | doaj-art-24ee2ad673b944ae995dba9e0eb6c8af2025-08-20T02:48:07ZengMDPI AGPharmaceutics1999-49232024-10-011611134710.3390/pharmaceutics16111347MicroRNAs as Promising Therapeutic Agents Against Prostate Cancer Resistant to Castration—Where Are We Now?Mariana Ferreira0Mariana Morais1Rui Medeiros2Ana Luísa Teixeira3Molecular Oncology and Viral Pathology Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/RISE@CI-IPOP (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto.CCC), 4200-072 Porto, PortugalMolecular Oncology and Viral Pathology Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/RISE@CI-IPOP (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto.CCC), 4200-072 Porto, PortugalMolecular Oncology and Viral Pathology Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/RISE@CI-IPOP (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto.CCC), 4200-072 Porto, PortugalMolecular Oncology and Viral Pathology Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/RISE@CI-IPOP (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto.CCC), 4200-072 Porto, PortugalMicroRNAs are a conserved class of small, tissue-specific, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression to preserve cellular homeostasis. Proper miRNA expression is crucial for physiological balance because it affects numerous genetic pathways, including cell cycle control, proliferation, and apoptosis, through gene expression targeting. Deregulated miRNA expression has been implicated in several cancer types, including prostate cancer (PC), acting as tumor suppressors or oncogenes. Despite the availability of promising therapies to control tumor growth and progression, effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for different types of cancer are still lacking. PC continues to be a significant health challenge, particularly its castration-resistant (CRPC) form, which presents major therapeutic obstacles because of its resistance to conventional androgen deprivation treatments. This review explores miRNAs’ critical roles in gene regulation and cancer biology, as well as various miRNA delivery systems, highlighting their potential and the challenges in effectively targeting cancer cells. It aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the status of miRNA research in the fight against CRPC, summarizing miRNA-based therapies’ successes and limitations. It also highlights the promise of miRNAs as therapeutic agents for CRPC, underlining the need for further research to overcome existing challenges and move these therapies toward clinical applications.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/16/11/1347miRNA mimicsmiRNA inhibitorscastration-resistant prostatic cancer |
| spellingShingle | Mariana Ferreira Mariana Morais Rui Medeiros Ana Luísa Teixeira MicroRNAs as Promising Therapeutic Agents Against Prostate Cancer Resistant to Castration—Where Are We Now? Pharmaceutics miRNA mimics miRNA inhibitors castration-resistant prostatic cancer |
| title | MicroRNAs as Promising Therapeutic Agents Against Prostate Cancer Resistant to Castration—Where Are We Now? |
| title_full | MicroRNAs as Promising Therapeutic Agents Against Prostate Cancer Resistant to Castration—Where Are We Now? |
| title_fullStr | MicroRNAs as Promising Therapeutic Agents Against Prostate Cancer Resistant to Castration—Where Are We Now? |
| title_full_unstemmed | MicroRNAs as Promising Therapeutic Agents Against Prostate Cancer Resistant to Castration—Where Are We Now? |
| title_short | MicroRNAs as Promising Therapeutic Agents Against Prostate Cancer Resistant to Castration—Where Are We Now? |
| title_sort | micrornas as promising therapeutic agents against prostate cancer resistant to castration where are we now |
| topic | miRNA mimics miRNA inhibitors castration-resistant prostatic cancer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/16/11/1347 |
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