Title:MicroRNAs in Anticancer Drugs Hepatotoxicity: From Pathogenic
Mechanism and Early Diagnosis to Therapeutic Targeting by Natural
Products
Volume: 25
Issue: 14
Author(s): Hebatallah Husseini Atteia*
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Sharkia, 44519, Egypt
Keywords:
miRNAs, biomarkers, chemotherapy, natural products, hepatotoxicity, radiotherapy.
Abstract: Patients receiving cancer therapies experience severe adverse effects, including hepatotoxicity,
even at therapeutic doses. Consequently, monitoring patients on cancer therapy for
hepatic functioning is necessary to avoid permanent liver damage. Several pathways of anticancer
drug-induced hepatotoxicity involve microRNAs (miRNAs) via targeting mRNAs. These
short and non-coding RNAs undergo rapid modulation in non-targeted organs due to cancer
therapy insults. Recently, there has been an interest for miRNAs as useful and promising biomarkers
for monitoring toxicity since they have conserved sequences across species and are
cellular-specific, stable, released during injury, and simple to analyze. Herein, we tried to review
the literature handling miRNAs as mediators and biomarkers of anticancer drug-induced hepatotoxicity.
Natural products and phytochemicals are suggested as safe and effective candidates in
treating cancer. There is also an attempt to combine anticancer drugs with natural compounds to
enhance their efficiencies and reduce systemic toxicities. We also discussed natural products
protecting against chemotherapy hepatotoxicity via modulating miRNAs, given that miRNAs
have pathogenic and diagnostic roles in chemotherapy-induced hepatotoxicity and that many
natural products can potentially regulate their expression. Future studies should integrate these
findings into clinical trials by formulating suitable therapeutic dosages of natural products to
target miRNAs involved in anticancer drug hepatotoxicity.