Signaling of MiRNAs-FOXM1 in Cancer and Potential Targeted Therapy

The transcription factor Forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1) is overexpressed in the majority of cancer patients. This overexpression is implicated to play a role in the pathogenesis, progression, and metastasis of cancer. This important role of FOXM1 demonstrates its significance to cancer therapy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding, endogenous, single-stranded RNAs that are pivotal posttranscriptional gene expression regulators. MiRNAs aberrantly expressed in cancer cells have important roles in tumorigenesis and progression. Currently, miRNAs are being studied as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic tools for cancer. The rapid discovery of many target miRNAs and their relevant pathways has contributed to the development of miRNA-based therapeutics for cancer. In this review, we summarize the latest and most significant findings on FOXM1 and miRNA involvement in cancer development and describe the role/roles of miRNA/FOXM1 signaling pathways in cancer initiation and progression. Targeting FOXM1 via regulation of miRNA expression may have a role in cancer treatment, although the miRNA delivery method remains the key challenge to the establishment of this novel therapy.