MicroRNA Era: The importance for diagnosis and prognosis of adrenocortical tumors

Abstract

MicroRNAs play an essential role in posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. They are evolutionary conserved, small, noncoding, 19-22-nucleotide RNAs, whose abnormalities, such as up- or downregulated expression, have been associated with several neoplasms, including adrenocortical tumors. Expression levels of distinct microRNAs can distinguish benign from malignant adrenal tumors. This current review provides recent data on the miRNAs profile in benign and malignant adrenocortical tumors diagnosed in adult and pediatric patients. © 2014 João Evangelista Bezerra and Ana Claudia Latronico.