Title:MiRNAs: Emerging Agents for Therapeutic Effects of Polyphenols on
Ovarian Cancer
Volume: 24
Issue: 4
Author(s): Bita Badehnoosh, Nesa Rajabpoor Nikoo, Reza Asemi, Rana Shafabakhsh and Zatollah Asemi*
Affiliation:
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition
in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, I.R. Iran
Keywords:
Ovarian cancer, polyphenols, inflammation, oxidative stress, molecular pathways, miRNAs.
Abstract: In terms of female reproductive tract cancers, ovarian cancer remains the principal reason
for mortality globally and is notably difficult to identify in its early stages. This fact highlights the
critical need to establish prevention strategies for patients with ovarian cancer, look for new robust
diagnostic and prognostic markers, and identify potential targets of response to treatment. MicroRNAs
(miRNAs) are one of the novel treatment targets in cancer treatment. Thus, understanding the part of
miRNAs in the pathogenesis and metastasis of ovarian cancer is at the center of researchers' attention.
MiRNAs are suggested to play a role in modulating many essential cancer processes, like cell proliferation,
apoptosis, differentiation, adhesion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and invasion.
In two recent decades, natural polyphenols' anti-cancer features have been a focal point of research.
Meanwhile, polyphenols are good research subjects for developing new cancer treatments. Polyphenols
can modify miRNA expression and impact the function of transcription factors when used as dietary
supplements. Multiple works have indicated the impact of polyphenols, including quercetin,
genistein, curcumin, and resveratrol, on miRNA expression in vitro and in vivo. Here, we provide an
in-depth description of four polyphenols used as dietary supplements: quercetin, genistein, curcumin,
and resveratrol, and we summarize what is currently known about their regulatory abilities on influencing
the miRNA functions in ovarian tumors to achieve therapeutic approaches.
