MIR133A in Cancer Biology: Target Genes, Biological Effects, and Biomarker Potential

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Various studies have highlighted the involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in tumor initiation and progression. MiRNAs are endogenous, non-coding, single-stranded RNA molecules that interact with the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of target mRNAs to inhibit mRNA translation or promote mRNA degradation. Various studies have reported that MIR133A is expressed at reduced levels in many tumor tissues and inhibits tumor progression. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the interactions of MIR133A and its target genes in the most commonly diagnosed cancers, namely, breast, lung, colorectal, gastric, and prostate. These results demonstrated that MIR133A is one of the optimal biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of various tumors, providing insights into the clinical management and practice of malignant tumors.