Small Molecule Modulators of Micro RNA and Their Role in Cancer Therapy

Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, evolutionarily conserved, non-coding, RNAs of about 20-25 nucleotides in length. They control cell fate via cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and stress response. They regulate gene expression by primarily disrupting mRNA translation and stability, or by modulating the transcription of target messenger RNAs. The expression of miRNA has been shown to be deregulated in various human diseases, thus making them novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. It is challenging to target miRNAs with small molecules; different groups have identified small molecule modulators of miRNA by targeting various pathways. In the present review, we discuss about the role of micro-RNAs in cancer, and strategies for modulating their expression, which can be used to achieve therapeutic outcomes.