The results of the present study indicate that miR-21 may serve an oncogenic role in the cellular processes underlying NB development and thus may be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of patients with NB.
The data suggested that miR-21 may have an antiapoptotic effect in N2Aneuroblastoma cells following OGD and reoxygenation, while miR-24 may have a pro-apoptotic effect.
For example, miR-15 and miR-16 induce apoptosis by targeting Bcl2. miRNAs from the miR-17-92 cluster modulate tumor formation and function as oncogenes by influencing the translation of E2F1 mRNA. miR-21 modulates gemcitabine-induced apoptosis by phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10-dependent activation of PI 3-kinase signaling. miR-34a acts as a suppressor of neuroblastoma tumorigenesis by targeting the mRNA encoding E2F3 and reducing E2F3 protein levels.