Bone is increasingly viewed as an endocrine organ with key biological functions. The skeleton produces hormones and cytokines, such as FGF23 and osteocalcin, which regulate an extensive list of homoeostatic functions. Some of these functions include glucose metabolism, male fertility, blood cell production and calcium/phosphate metabolism. Many of the genes regulating these functions are specific to bone cells. Some of these genes can be wrongly expressed by other malfunctioning cells, driving the generation of disease. The miRNAs are a class of non-coding RNA molecules that are powerful regulators of gene expression by suppressing and fine-tuning target mRNAs. Expression of one such miRNA, miR-140, is ubiquitous in chondrocyte cells during embryonic bone development. Activity in cells found in the adult breast, colon and lung tissue can silence genes required for tumour suppression. The realization that the same miRNA can be both normal and detrimental, depending on the cell, tissue and time point, provides a captivating twist to the study of whole-organism functional genomics. With the recent interest in miRNAs in bone biology and RNA-based therapeutics on the horizon, we present a review on the role of miR-140 in the molecular events that govern bone formation in the embryo. Cellular pathways involving miR-140 may be reactivated or inhibited when treating skeletal injury or disorder in adulthood. These pathways may also provide a novel model system when studying cancer biology of other cells and tissues.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Review Article|
August 28 2015
Role of miR-140 in embryonic bone development and cancer
Darrell Green;
*Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, U.K.
Correspondence: Darrell Green (email [email protected]).
Search for other works by this author on:
Tamas Dalmay;
Tamas Dalmay
†School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
William D. Fraser
William D. Fraser
*Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, U.K.
‡Department of Endocrinology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
March 26 2015
Revision Received:
July 17 2015
Accepted:
July 23 2015
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
© 2015 Authors; published by Portland Press Limited
2015
Clin Sci (Lond) (2015) 129 (10): 863–873.
Article history
Received:
March 26 2015
Revision Received:
July 17 2015
Accepted:
July 23 2015
Citation
Darrell Green, Tamas Dalmay, William D. Fraser; Role of miR-140 in embryonic bone development and cancer. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 November 2015; 129 (10): 863–873. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20150230
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
Biochemical Society Member Sign in
Sign InSign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionGet Access To This Article
Open Access for all
We offer compliant routes for all authors from 2025. With library support, there will be no author nor reader charges in 5 journals. Check here |
![]() |