• Expanding Horizons of piRNAs: Roles in Cancer Biology and Therapeutic Potential
  • Mousarreza Shiri,1 Mohammadreza Sharifi,2,*
    1. Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
    2. Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran


  • Introduction: PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a unique class of small non-coding RNAs, typically 24 to 31 nucleotides in length, initially discovered in germline cells and recognized for their pivotal role in maintaining genomic stability. While piRNAs were once thought to be restricted to the germline, recent evidence has demonstrated their expression in somatic tissues, where they participate in a range of regulatory functions.
  • Methods: These include translational control, chromatin organization, epigenetic regulation, suppression of transposable elements, and modulation of mRNA stability. Growing evidence implicates piRNAs and their associated PIWI proteins in a broad spectrum of human malignancies, highlighting their dual roles in both oncogenesis and tumor suppression. piRNAs have been shown to influence several hallmarks of cancer, including therapy resistance, metastatic potential, and uncontrolled cell proliferation.
  • Results: Although the precise molecular mechanisms underlying many of their functions remain incompletely understood, piRNAs represent a rapidly expanding frontier in cancer biology, with potential applications in diagnostics and therapeutics.
  • Conclusion: This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of piRNA biogenesis, molecular functions, and disease associations, underscoring their emerging significance in tumor development and progression.
  • Keywords: piRNAs, PIWI proteins, Cancer biology, Genomic stability, Epigenetic regulation