MicroRNA Regulation of Cancer Stem Cell Dynamics
Summary
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of tumour cells endowed with self-renewal, multilineage differentiation and heightened resistance to conventional therapies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that fine-tune gene expression networks governing these stem-like traits. By targeting key transcription factors, signalling mediators and epigenetic regulators, miRNAs establish dynamic control over CSC fate decisions. Dysregulated miRNA expression can reinforce stemness programmes, induce a quiescent state that protects CSCs from cytotoxic agents or promote epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), facilitating invasion and metastasis. Conversely, restoring the balance of tumour-suppressive miRNAs may disrupt self-renewal circuits, trigger differentiation and sensitise CSCs to chemotherapy. The interplay between miRNA biogenesis, oncogenic pathways such as WNT/β-catenin, Notch and JAK/STAT, and the tumour microenvironment underpins both the plasticity of CSCs and their capacity to drive relapse. Advances in high-throughput profiling and delivery technologies are forging pathways towards miRNA-based diagnostics and therapeutics that selectively target CSC populations, offering the prospect of more durable clinical responses.
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MicroRNA Regulation of Cancer Stem Cell Dynamics publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in microrna regulation of cancer stem cell dynamics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
microRNA (miRNA): Small non-coding RNA that regulates gene expression by binding to complementary sequences in messenger RNA.
Cancer stem cell (CSC): A tumour cell subpopulation with the capacity for self-renewal, differentiation and therapy resistance.
Self-renewal: The ability of a stem cell to undergo division and produce progeny with identical stem-like characteristics.
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT): A process by which epithelial cells acquire mesenchymal traits, enhancing motility and invasiveness.
Quiescence: A reversible state of cell-cycle arrest that shields CSCs from cytotoxic stress.
WNT signalling pathway: A key developmental cascade that regulates stem cell pluripotency and is often hijacked in cancer to sustain CSC populations.
References
- CD24 induced cellular quiescence-like state and chemoresistance in ovarian cancer cells via miR-130a/301a-dependent CDK19 downregulation. Cell Death Discovery (2024).
- MicroRNA-21 as a Regulator of Cancer Stem Cell Properties in Oral Cancer. Cells (2025).
- miRNA on the Battlefield of Cancer: Significance in Cancer Stem Cells, WNT Pathway, and Treatment. Cancers (2024).
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