MiRNA-145 and Its Direct Downstream Targets in Digestive System Cancers: A Promising Therapeutic Target

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a vital role in the onset and development of many diseases, including cancers. Emerging evidence shows that numerous miRNAs have the potential to be used as diagnostic biomarkers for cancers, and miRNA-based therapy may be a promising therapy for the treatment of malignant neoplasm. MicroRNA-145 (miR-145) has been considered to play certain roles in various cellular processes, such as proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis, via modulating the expression of direct target genes. Recent reports show that miR-145 participates in the progression of digestive system cancers, and plays crucial and novel roles in cancer treatment. In this review, we summarize the recent knowledge concerning the function of miR-145 and its direct targets in digestive system cancers. We discuss the potential role of miR-145 as a valuable biomarker for digestive system cancers and how miR-145 regulates these digestive system cancers via different targets to explore the potential strategy of targeting miR-145.