Can miRNA be used for cancer therapy by targeting oxidative stress?

An increasingly popular therapeutic approach for the treatment of cancer is the modification of signaling pathways mediated by oxidative stress. Epigenetic dysregulation serves as a key characteristic of human cancer, as almost half of all cancer cases involve mutations in epigenetic regulators like microRNAs (miRNAs). These small non-coding RNAs play a crucial role by generating functional RNA molecules that range from 18 to 25 nucleotides. miRNAs are essential for regulating gene expression at the mRNA level, but they have also been demonstrated in recent studies to influence the growth and development of cancer. miRNAs play a significant role in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and in various processes influenced by ROS. Therefore, exploring the relationship between ROS and miRNAs is becoming increasingly crucial, as it holds the potential to advance the development of effective cancer therapies and prevention strategies. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the key characteristics and functional roles of miRNAs that are linked to oxidative stress in different cancers, paving the way for future research and therapeutic innovations. However, a lot of concerns and uncertainties regarding ROS-miRNAs and antioxidant defense systems still need to be resolved despite a great deal of research in this field.