microRNA(miRNA) is a kind of non-coding RNA that has a regulatory function on coding RNA. miRNA can target the 3’ UTR of mRNA and inhibit its gene expression by either inhibiting its translation or promoting its degradation. miRNAs are thus considered to be oncogenic or antineoplastic, depending on their downstream target mRNAs. Besides their clinical application in cancer treatment, diagnosis, and prognosis, miRNA has also recently been reported to be involved in cancer chemotherapy and chemoprevention. This review focuses on the implication of miRNA in cancer chemoprevention and cancer control as well as molecular mechanisms underlying those biological effects.
Keywords: Cancer, chemoprevention, expression, gene, microRNA