MicroRNAs in thyroid cancer with focus on medullary thyroid carcinoma: potential therapeutic targets and diagnostic/prognostic markers and web based tools

Sep 21, 2026

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Review describes how microRNAs (miRNAs) contribute to thyroid cancer and its main subtype medullary thyroid carcinoma, and summarizes the web-based tools and databases used for bioinformatics analysis of miRNAs in this setting. It discusses miRNAs as therapeutic targets and as diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers, functioning as oncomiRs or antioncoges via regulated mRNA targets. It also highlights miRNA replacement approaches, including mimics and antimiRs, and explains their stability in biological materials and relevance to cancer pathways such as cell-cycle control and DNA repair.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

miRNA biogenesis and cancer relevance

miRNA stability and diagnostic potential

ONCOLOGY RESEARCH 2024 32(6): 1011-1019 REVIEW MicroRNAs in thyroid cancer with focus on medullary thyroid carcinoma: potential therapeutic targets and diagnostic/prognostic markers and web based tools ELHAM SHAKIBA 1; SETI BOROOMAND2; SIMA KHERADMAND KIA3; MEHDI HEDAYATI4,* 1 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, 1651153511, Iran 2 Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, V5Z 1M9, Canada 3 Department of Blood Cell Research, Laboratory for Red Blood Cell Diagnostics, Sanquin, Amsterdam, 1006 AN, The Netherlands 4 Cellular and Molecular Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 1985717413, Iran Key words: Thyroid cancer, MicroRNAs, Biomarker, Bioinformatics analysis, Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), OncomiRs, Antioncoges Abstract: This review aimed to describe the inculpation of microRNAs (miRNAs) in thyroid cancer (TC) and its subtypes, mainly medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), and to outline web-based tools and databases for bioinformatics analysis of miRNAs in TC. Additionally, the capacity of miRNAs to serve as therapeutic targets and biomarkers in TC management will be discussed. This review is based on a literature search of relevant articles on the role of miRNAs in TC and its subtypes, mainly MTC. Additionally, web-based tools and databases for bioinformatics analysis of miRNAs in TC were identiﬁed and described. MiRNAs can perform as oncomiRs or antioncoges, relying on the target mRNAs they regulate. MiRNA replacement therapy using miRNA mimics or antimiRs that aim to suppress the function of certain miRNAs can be applied to correct miRNAs aberrantly expressed in diseases, particularly in cancer. MiRNAs are involved in the modulation of fundamental pathways related to cancer, resembling cell cycle checkpoints and DNA repair pathways. MiRNAs are also rather stable and can reliably be detected indifferent types of biological materials, rendering them favorable diagnosis and prognosis biomarkers as well. MiRNAshave emerged as promising tools for evaluating medical outcomes in TC and as possible therapeutic targets. The contribution of miRNAs in thyroid cancer, particularly MTC, is an active area of research, and the utility of web applications and databases for the biological data analysis of miRNAs in TC is becoming increasingly important. Introduction MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have 20–15 nucleotides in length and, these short non-messenger RNA (nmRNA), posttranscriptionally modulate gene transcription basically by interacting the genes of interest 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR). In addition, globally aberrant miRNA regulation, asa result of deregulated factors involved in miRNA processing, has been detected in a broad spectrum of cancers [1,2] . Normal cells with speciﬁc genetic and epigenetic alterations become cancerous through a multistep process called carcinogenesis and produce a tumor mass. Cancer *Address correspondence to: Mehdi Hedayati, [hedayati@endocrine.ac.ir](hedayati@endocrine.ac.ir) Received: 31 December 2023; Accepted: 19 March 2024; Published: 23 May 2024 cells retain unique features to develop tumors, immortality, invasion of other tissues, and metastasis. Cancers are the major cause of death rates around the World with a growth rate expected to increase up to 70% in the next 20 years. miRNAs have been authenticated to execute key functions in cancer development [2] . Each miRNA has the ability to target nearly 200 mRNAs, and on the other hand, each miRNA potentially could be targeted by a couple of other miRNAs. Genes encoding miRNAs are either sited within chromosomal fragile sites or cancer-related genes [3] . Since miRNAs are less than 24 nucleotides long, they are resistant to endo-nucleolytic cleavage and thus these molecules are rather stable and can be reliably

FAQs

What roles do microRNAs play in thyroid cancer and medullary thyroid carcinoma?

The review explains that microRNAs participate in thyroid cancer biology, particularly in medullary thyroid carcinoma, by regulating gene expression post-transcriptionally and influencing cancer-related pathways.

How do the authors connect microRNAs to diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers?

MicroRNAs are described as relatively stable and detectable in different biological materials, enabling reliable use as diagnosis and prognosis biomarkers in thyroid cancer.

Which therapeutic strategies involving miRNAs are discussed?

The review discusses miRNA replacement therapy using miRNA mimics or antimiRs to suppress or correct aberrantly expressed microRNAs in cancer.

Sep 21, 2026

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