What are the mechanisms leading to miR-34a downregulation in cancer?
Several mechanisms can lead to the downregulation of miR-34a in cancer. These include genetic alterations such as deletions and mutations, epigenetic modifications like DNA methylation and histone deacetylation, and the action of transcriptional repressors. For instance, the p53 tumor suppressor, which is frequently mutated in cancers, is a well-known activator of miR-34a. Loss of p53 function can result in reduced miR-34a expression.
