Is miR-34a the micromanager of cancer stemness and resistance in NSCLC?

The capacity of microRNAs to post-transcriptionally regulate a myriad of genes has extended their remit into the realm of cancer stemness regulation. Disruption of Dicer-1, a crucial component of microRNA biogenesis, has been shown to completely deplete the stem cell pool in early development, indicating a potential role for microRNAs in the maintenance of stem cells. Such logic has led microRNAs to be investigated in the context of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Studies have revealed that microRNAs play a role in CSC self-renewal, differentiation, drug resistance and metastasis. With this, we hypothesise that microRNAs associated with cisplatin resistance and CSC maintenance may be key in targeting the CSC root of cisplatin resistance.