针对特定microRNA的在不同肿瘤发生中的功能研究已经有很多，但是，针对涉及特定肿瘤发病机制的系列miRNA的研究并不多见。Mavrakis K等(A cooperative microRNA-tumor suppressor gene network in acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) Nature Genetics 2011,43,673-678) 应用无偏倚的miRNA文库筛选（unbiased miRNA library screen）的方法，系统研究了急性T淋巴细胞白血病（T-ALL）相关的miRNAs，发现5个miRNAs (miR-19b,miR-20a, miR-26a, miR-92 and miR-223)在T-ALL发病中起到关键作用，并且这些miRNAs在T-ALL发生过程中的抑制主要肿瘤抑制基因（例如IKZF1, PTEN, BIM, PHF6, NF1, FBXW7 等）表达的作用相互重叠，相互协调。该研究揭示了T-ALL发生中microRNA-肿瘤抑制基因作用新模式。
A cooperative microRNA-tumor suppressor gene network in acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL)
Abstract The importance of individual microRNAs (miRNAs) has been established in specific cancers. However, a comprehensive analysis of the contribution of miRNAs to the pathogenesis of any specific cancer is lacking. Here we show that in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), a small set of miRNAs is responsible for the cooperative suppression of several tumor suppressor genes. Cross-comparison of miRNA expression profiles in human T-ALL with the results of an unbiased miRNA library screen allowed us to identify five miRNAs (miR-19b,miR-20a, miR-26a, miR-92 and miR-223) that are capable of promoting T-ALL development in a mouse model and which account for the majority of miRNA expression in human T-ALL. Moreover, these miRNAs produce overlapping and cooperative effects on tumor suppressor genes implicated in the pathogenesis of T-ALL, including IKAROS (also known as IKZF1), PTEN, BIM, PHF6, NF1 and FBXW7. Thus, a comprehensive and unbiased analysis of miRNA action in T-ALL reveals a striking pattern of miRNA-tumor suppressor gene interactions in this cancer.
原文链接 http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v43/n4/full/ng.786.html
