Tumor Suppressor miRNAs are Downregulated in BCR-ABL and TMPRSS2-ERG Positive Cancer Cells: Time to Translate Cell Type Specific Studies

Abstract

Research over the years has progressively shown
substantial broadening in miRNA regulation of
signaling landscape. Increasingly it is being realized
that an individual miRNA may post-transcriptionally
regulate over one hundred different mRNAs. It is
noteworthy that overwhelmingly increasing data on
miRNA biology has revolutionized current
understanding of cancer cells and recently cancer-
targeted miRNA drug -MRX34, has entered into
Phase I clinical trials in patients with advanced
hepatocellular carcinoma. Emergent themes have
started to shed light on targeting of individual key
targets by miRNAs thus promoting and suppressing
carcinogenesis. Mechanistically, orchestrated
modulation of target batteries, and reconstitution of
signaling cascades in fusion positive cancer cells has
recently gained tremendous appreciation. It is getting
sequentially more understandable that leukemic cells
carrying BCR-ABL are difficult to target because of
rewiring of intracellular signaling cascades. Likewise,
substantial fraction of information has been added
into prostate cancer biology and it is now evident that
prostate cancer cells harbor a fusion transcript
TMPRSS2-ERG. In this editorial we will attempt to
provide an overview obtained from cell type specific
pieces of information regarding miRNA regulation
of cell proliferation in BCR-ABL and TMPRSS2-
ERG carrying cancer cells.