The extensive role of miR-155 in malignant and non-malignant diseases

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have rapidly emerged as key molecules in cancer initiation and development, showing the capability to regulate pivotal oncogenic pathways. MiR-155 has gathered an increased attention especially in oncology, but also in non-malignanat pathologies. Nowadays, this noncoding RNA is one of the most important miRNAs in cancer, due to the extensive signaling network associated with it, implication in immune system regulation and also deregulation in disease states. Therefore, numerous research protocols are focused on pre-clinical modulation of miR-155 for therapeutic purposes, or investigation of its dynamic expression for diagnostic/prognostic assessments, with the final intention of bringing this miRNA into the clinical setting. This review comprehensively presents the extended role of miR-155 in cancer and other pathologies, where its expression is dysregulated. Finally, we assess the future steps toward miR-155 based therapeutics.