Dr. David H. Gutmann, and fellow researchers at John’s Hopkins University, confirmed the importance of microRNA in the biology of glioma tumors in NF1. MicroRNAs are small, noncoding molecules that control how cells build proteins. Previous findings have shown that the levels of different types of microRNA molecules help determine the way cells function. The levels of these microRNAs in cancer cells may be important in determining cancer severity. However, very little research has been done investigating the role of microRNAs in NF1.
In a recent study published in Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology, the research team investigated the role of microRNAs in NF1-associated gliomas. They reported new findings regarding the levels of various microRNA molecules in both high grade and low-grade glioma tumors. These results imply that microRNA molecules may be useful biomarkers for screening and monitoring NF1 patients, and could be possible therapeutic targets for NF1-associated glioma tumors.