微小RNA(microRNA,miRNA)是一种长度约为22nt的非编码RNA,它们通过miRNA介导的特异性的基因沉默导致靶mRNA降解及抑制蛋白质的合成调控转录后基因表达水平。已证明,miRNA能够调控多种生理学和病理学的过程,如细胞分化,细胞增殖和肿瘤形成。某些miRNA可直接参与人类肿瘤(如肺癌、乳腺癌、颅脑肿瘤、肝癌、结直肠癌及淋巴瘤等)的形成。miRNA既可作为癌基因又可作为抑癌基因,参与人类肿瘤形成的多条信号通路。因此,miRNA可能作为肿瘤预防和治疗的有效应用方法。 MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs of about 22nt in length. They regulate mRNA expression and regulate the degradation of target mRNA through miRNA-mediated specific gene silencing. It has been demonstrated that miRNAs can regulate a variety of physiological and pathological processes such as cell differentiation, cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. Some miRNAs are directly involved in the formation of human tumors such as lung, breast, brain, liver, colorectal and lymphoma. As an oncogene and a tumor suppressor gene, miRNAs are involved in a number of signaling pathways in the formation of human tumors. Therefore, miRNA may serve as an effective method of cancer prevention and treatment.