MicroRNA Roles in the Nuclear Factor Kappa B Signaling Pathway in Cancer

Front Immunol. 2018 Mar 19:9:546. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00546. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is a pluripotent and crucial dimer transcription factor that orchestrates various physiological and pathological processes, especially cell proliferation, inflammation, and cancer development and progression. NF-κB expression is transient and tightly regulated in normal cells, but it is activated in cancer cells. Recently, numerous studies have demonstrated microRNAs (miRNAs) play a vital role in the NF-κB signaling pathway and NF-κB-associated immune responses, radioresistance and drug resistance of cancer, some acting as inhibitors and the others as activators. Although it is still in infancy, targeting NF-κB or the NF-κB signaling pathway by miRNAs is becoming a promising strategy of cancer treatment.

Keywords: cancer; microRNAs; molecular therapy; nuclear factor kappa B; nuclear factor kappa B-associated resistance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Immunity / genetics
  • Inflammation / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy
  • NF-kappa B / genetics
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism*
  • Neoplasms / genetics
  • Neoplasms / immunology
  • Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • MicroRNAs
  • NF-kappa B