The Amphibolous Role of miR-203 in Gastrointestinal and Urogenital Cancers

摘要

miR-203, as a member of the miRNAs family, play a major role in control of gene expression during normal development and are disrupted in the initiation and progression of specific diseases. It was worth nothing that a growing body of evidence indicated an abnormal expression of miR-203 in several human leading cancers including gastrointestinal and urogenital cancers. The cytosine-phosphoguanine (CpG)-island methylation was one of the most significant factors which controlled the expression of miR-203. Furthermore, miR-203 participated in these cancers via targeting its downstream genes. However, the precise regulatory mechanisms underlying miR-203 association with these cancers are still not fully understood. The aim of this review is to sum up the collective knowledge of miR-203 in gastrointestinal and urogenital cancers.