Review

Let-7 and miR-200 microRNAs: Guardians against pluripotency and cancer progression

Volume 8, Issue 6   March 15, 2009
Pages 843 - 852
http://dx.doi.org/10.4161/cc.8.6.7907
Authors: Marcus E. Peter

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Abstract:
Micro (mi)RNAs are emerging as important regulators of cellular differentiation, their importance underscored by the fact that they are often dysregulated during carcinogenesis. Two evolutionary conserved families, let-7 and miR-200, regulate key differentiation processes during development. Loss of let-7 in cancer results in reverse embryogenesis and dedifferentiation, and miR-200 has been identified as a powerful regulator of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Recent findings have connected let-7 with stem cell maintenance and point at a connection between EMT and stem cell formation. A part of tumor progression can be viewed as a continuum of progressive dedifferentiation (EMT) with a cell at the endpoint that has stem cell-like properties. I propose that steps of this process are driven by specific changes in the expression of let-7 and miR-200 family members.

Received: January 20, 2009; Accepted: January 22, 2009

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