Behrouz Shademan
1 
, Vahidreza Karamad
1 , Alireza Nourazarian
2, Sepideh Masjedi
3, Alireza Isazadeh
4, Fatma Sogutlu
1, Cigir Biray Avcı
1* 1 Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, EGE University, Izmir, Turkey.
2 Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Khoy University of Medical Sciences, Khoy, Iran.
3 Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology Sciences, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran.
4 Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Abstract
MicroRNAs are small RNAs with ability to attach to the large number of RNA that regulate gene expression on post-transcriptional level via inhibition or degradation of specific mRNAs. MiRNAs in cells are the primary regulators of functions such as cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis and considerably influence cell function. The expression levels of microRNAs change in human diseases, including cancer. These changes highlight their essential role in cancer pathogenesis. Ubiquitous irregular expression profiles of miRNAs have been detected in various human cancers using genome-wide identification techniques, which are emerging as novel diagnostic and prognostic cancer biomarkers of high specificity and sensitivity. The measurable miRNAs with enhanced stability in blood, tissues, and other body fluids provide a comprehensive source of miRNA-dependent biomarkers for human cancers. The leading role of miRNAs as potential biomarkers in human cancers is discussed in this article. In addition, the interests and difficulties of miRNAs as biomarkers have been explored.