Research progress in microRNAs associated with radioresistance of nasopharyngeal carcinoma / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

ABSTRACT

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma ( NPC) is a squamous cell carcinoma originating from the nasopharyngeal epithelial tissues with a high incidence in Southeast Asia and South China. At present, radiotherapy has become the primary therapeutic modality to treat NPC. Resistance to radiotherapy poses a serious obstacle to successful therapy for NPC. It is of great importance to identify the biomarkers related to the NPC radioresistance and unravel the mechanism of radioresistance for the diagnosis and treatment of NPC patients. MicroRNAs induce translational repression or degradation of targeted mRNAs by binding to their 3’ UTRs and regulate the expression of protein. MicroRNAs are involved in the regulation of all important cellular processes associated with response to the radiotherapy, such as DNA damage response and repair, cellular apoptosis, proliferation and angiogenesis. In recent years, the study of miRNAs associated with radioresistance of NPC has captivated widespread attention from researchers. In this review, relevant microRNAs and their potential mechanisms were summarized.