Journal Article

Small biomarkers with massive impacts: PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling and microRNA crosstalk regulate nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Deng, Nian-Hua, He, Xiu-Sheng, Li, Yue-Hua, LI, Hai-Long

2022

Overview

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most common malignant tumours of the head and neck in Southeast Asia and southern China. The Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway is involved in processes related to tumour initiation/progression, such as proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and drug resistance, and is closely related to the clinicopathological features of NPC. In addition, key genes involved in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway undergo many changes in NPC. More interestingly, a growing body of evidence suggests an interaction between this signalling pathway and microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small noncoding RNAs. Therefore, in this review, we discuss the interactions between key components of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway and various miRNAs and their importance in NPC pathology and explore potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: 1-Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase / AKT protein / Angiogenesis / Apoptosis / Autophagy / Biological markers / Biomarkers / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Biomedicine / Biosynthesis / Cancer / Cancer Research / Carcinoma / Cell cycle / Cell growth / Chemotherapy / Drug resistance / Gene expression / Growth factors / Kinases / Medical prognosis / Metabolism / Metastases / Metastasis / MicroRNA / MicroRNAs / miRNA / miRNAs / Mutation / Nasopharyngeal carcinoma / Noncoding RNAs as biomarkers / PI3K/AKT/mTOR / Proteins / Radiation therapy / Rapamycin / Review / Signal transduction / Therapeutic targets / TOR protein / Tumorigenesis / Tumors