MicroRNA-mediated autophagy regulation in thyroid cancer drug resistance

Abstract

Thyroid cancer, particularly papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), represents the most prevalent endocrine malignancy. Despite advancements in therapeutic strategies, drug resistance significantly hampers clinical outcomes. Autophagy, an evolutionarily conserved cellular degradation pathway, acts paradoxically in thyroid cancer by promoting either tumor cell survival or cell death, thus influencing therapeutic resistance. Increasing evidence highlights microRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs, as critical regulators of autophagy through precise modulation of autophagy-related genes (ATGs) and signaling pathways. miRNA-mediated autophagy can either enhance chemotherapeutic efficacy or facilitate resistance, depending on the cellular context and miRNA targets. This review summarizes recent insights into miRNA-autophagy interactions underlying drug resistance in thyroid cancer, emphasizing key miRNAs, including miR-125b, miR-144, miR-30d, and miR-9-5p. Understanding the complex regulatory networks connecting miRNAs and autophagy provides promising avenues for developing novel therapeutic strategies to overcome resistance in refractory thyroid cancer.

Keywords

Thyroid cancer / microRNA / autophagy / drug resistance / therapeutic targets

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