MicroRNAs Add an Additional Layer to the Complexity of Cell Signaling

Jason I. Herschkowitz^1* and Xiaoyong Fu^1,2*

¹ The authors are postdoctoral fellows in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
² Department of Medicine and Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs), key posttranscriptional regulators of many biological processes, have been implicated in many diseases, including cancer. In a recent paper, Avraham and colleagues take a systems biology approach to determine whether and how miRNAs are involved in the regulation of oncogenic signaling networks downstream of epidermal growth factor (EGF). The authors showed that EGF stimulation orchestrated the transcription of both miRNAs and transcription factors. An early decrease in the abundance of a subset of miRNAs allowed for the induction of messenger RNAs of immediate early genes. Expression of this group of miRNAs was also decreased in tumors that showed deregulated signaling through the EGF receptor (EGFR) or the related receptor HER2. Their biological properties of redundancy, multiplicity, and rapid responsiveness make these small noncoding RNAs important regulators of cell signaling.

* Corresponding author. E-mail, herschko{at}bcm.edu (J.I.H.); xiaoyonf{at}bcm.edu (X.F.)

The editors suggest the following Related Resources on Science sites:

In Science Signaling

RESEARCH ARTICLES
MicroRNAs
Signaling by p38 MAPK Stimulates Nuclear Localization of the Microprocessor Component p68 for Processing of Selected Primary MicroRNAs

Sungguan Hong, Hyangsoon Noh, Haoming Chen, Ravi Padia, Zhixing K. Pan, Shi-Bing Su, Qing Jing, Han-Fei Ding, and Shuang Huang (12 March 2013)
Sci. Signal. 6 (266), ra16. [DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.2003706]
 |  Editor's Summary »  |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »  |  Supplementary Materials »

EDITORS' CHOICE
Molecular Biology
Regulation in Reserve

Leslie K. Ferrarelli (8 January 2013)
Sci. Signal. 6 (257), ec7. [DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.2003943]
 |  Abstract »

EDITORIAL GUIDES
Posttranscriptional Regulation
Focus Issue: Signals for Gene Expression

Wei Wong (2 November 2010)
Sci. Signal. 3 (146), eg10. [DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.3146eg10]
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

RESEARCH ARTICLES
Cancer Biology
EGF Decreases the Abundance of MicroRNAs That Restrain Oncogenic Transcription Factors

Roi Avraham, Aldema Sas-Chen, Ohad Manor, Israel Steinfeld, Reut Shalgi, Gabi Tarcic, Noa Bossel, Amit Zeisel, Ido Amit, Yaara Zwang, Espen Enerly, Hege G. Russnes, Francesca Biagioni, Marcella Mottolese, Sabrina Strano, Giovanni Blandino, Anne-Lise Børresen-Dale, Yitzhak Pilpel, Zohar Yakhini, Eran Segal, and Yosef Yarden (1 June 2010)
Sci. Signal. 3 (124), ra43. [DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.2000876]
 |  Editor's Summary »  |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »  |  Supplementary Materials »