MIR21
MIR21 encodes microRNA-21 (miR-21), a small non-coding RNA that functions as a post-transcriptional regulator of gene expression.
MIR21 encodes microRNA-21 (miR-21), a small non-coding RNA that functions as a post-transcriptional regulator of gene expression. Like other microRNAs, it acts by binding target messenger RNAs and modulating their stability or translation, thereby influencing cellular programs such as proliferation, apoptosis, and stress responses. In biomedical research, miR-21 is widely studied as a cancer-associated biomarker and regulatory molecule, particularly in breast cancer and other solid tumors.
Recent studies have continued to use MIR21 as a model target for both mechanistic cancer research and ultrasensitive molecular detection. In these contexts, miR-21 is frequently discussed alongside breast cancer, triple-negative breast adenocarcinoma, colorectal, head/neck, melanoma, and prostate tumors, reflecting its broad relevance in oncology. It has also been investigated in relation to pathways and molecular factors such as PTEN and the SIRT1/HIF-1α pathway, consistent with its role in tumor biology and treatment response.
Where the papers sit
15 papers from the last 6 months study MIR21 directly · updated from PubMed 9 Oct 2026
Study type 0 clinical trials · 11 human data · 4 preclinical
Themes one subject · 1 new direction
Those 15 are all about one subject.
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miRNA Diagnostic Technologies
Ultrasensitive miRNA diagnostics are moving from single-target laboratory assays toward multiplex, point-of-care and liquid-biopsy formats. DNA walkers, hairpin assemblies, nanospheres, electrochemical sensors and CRISPR/Cas12a platforms repeatedly amplify weak signals for miR-21 and cancer-associated miRNA panels. Urine testing, lateral-flow readouts and molecular subtyping aim to make screening and treatment monitoring faster and more accessible. CRISPR-mediated miR-21 editing and betulinic-acid studies add biological context, but clinical validation and standardization remain open.
miR-21 is treated as an editable causal target in urothelial carcinoma rather than merely as a detectable biomarker or drug-responsive pathway component
CRISPR/Cas9-mediated miR-21 editing in high-grade urothelial carcinoma cells 42319574Jun moves miR-21 beyond the set's usual roles as a cancer-associated analyte in diagnostic assays or as an expression change associated with pharmacologic treatment. By directly editing miR-21 and examining the resulting biological effects, the study treats it as a manipulable causal target in tumor cells, opening a gene-editing direction rather than another application of biomarker detection or pathway modulation.
Papers
The 15 papers from the last 6 months that study MIR21 directly, newest first, by theme and by study type. Study types come from PubMed publication types and MeSH headings.
By theme
miRNA Diagnostic Technologies (15)
- A Dual-Mode Fluorescent and Colorimetric Biosensor Based on AuNPs@RCA Nanogel-Integrated Multipedal DNA Walker for Ultrasensitive miRNA Detection. ACS applied materials & interfaces · 2 Sept 2026 PMID 42682078
- A hydrogel microsphere-based catalytic hairpin assembly for simple miRNA detection. Analytical methods : advancing methods and applications · 1 Sept 2026 PMID 42676189
- Autocatalytic DNA nanosphere assembly activated by endogenous APE1 for intracellular miR-21 imaging. Analytica chimica acta · 7 Aug 2026 PMID 42567595
- Nucleic acid probe-functionalized self-powered sensor for detection of biomarkers in clinical urine samples. Science advances · 5 Aug 2026 PMID 42555722
- A lateral flow assay strip based on AND logic gate and DNA self-assembly for dual miRNA detection in breast cancer diagnosis. Mikrochimica acta · 4 Aug 2026 PMID 42550284
- Topology-Gated λ Exonuclease Enables Amplification-Free Signal Boosting. Journal of the American Chemical Society · 21 Jul 2026 PMID 42479891
- Pan-Cancer Liquid Biopsy and Treatment Monitoring via a Split crRNA-Activated Label-Free CRISPR/Cas12a Platform for Ultrasensitive MicroRNA Detection. Analytical chemistry · 9 Jul 2026 PMID 42424186
- CRISPR/Cas9-mediated miR-21 editing in high-grade urothelial carcinoma cells and its biological effects. Molecular biology reports · 19 Jun 2026 PMID 42319574
- Dual MicroRNA Simultaneous One-Step Profiling via Filler-Mediated Quantum Dot DNA Nanospheres for Bladder Cancer Screening. ACS nano · 13 Jun 2026 PMID 42287261
- Modular CRISPR-Cas12a-Activated Gold Nanoparticle Assay for Rapid Visual Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Related miRNAs. ACS sensors · 9 Jun 2026 PMID 42263201
- Design and fabrication of a dual-mode colorimetric nanobiosensor for detection of breast cancer-related microRNA biomarkers upon the simultaneous application of gold nanoparticles and DNAzyme. Analytica chimica acta · 1 Jun 2026 PMID 42219637
- Betulinic acid is associated with miR-21 modulation, apoptosis and redox changes in breast cancer cells: an in vitro and in silico study. Scientific reports · 16 May 2026 PMID 42143107
- A unified computational-experimental paradigm for rational design of next-generation electrochemical biosensors: the IECM framework. Biomedical physics & engineering express · 12 May 2026 PMID 42119575
- Localized hybridization chain reaction on self-assembled DNA nanospheres overcomes the kinetics-stability-complexity trilemma in miRNA sensing. Biosensors & bioelectronics · 8 May 2026 PMID 42102614
- Dichromatically Encoded DNA Nanodevice for High-Resolution Molecular Subtyping of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Analytical chemistry · 4 May 2026 PMID 42071303
By study type
Human data, design not indexed (11)
- A Dual-Mode Fluorescent and Colorimetric Biosensor Based on AuNPs@RCA Nanogel-Integrated Multipedal DNA Walker for Ultrasensitive miRNA Detection. ACS applied materials & interfaces · 2 Sept 2026 PMID 42682078
- A hydrogel microsphere-based catalytic hairpin assembly for simple miRNA detection. Analytical methods : advancing methods and applications · 1 Sept 2026 PMID 42676189
- Autocatalytic DNA nanosphere assembly activated by endogenous APE1 for intracellular miR-21 imaging. Analytica chimica acta · 7 Aug 2026 PMID 42567595
- Nucleic acid probe-functionalized self-powered sensor for detection of biomarkers in clinical urine samples. Science advances · 5 Aug 2026 PMID 42555722
- A lateral flow assay strip based on AND logic gate and DNA self-assembly for dual miRNA detection in breast cancer diagnosis. Mikrochimica acta · 4 Aug 2026 PMID 42550284
- Topology-Gated λ Exonuclease Enables Amplification-Free Signal Boosting. Journal of the American Chemical Society · 21 Jul 2026 PMID 42479891
- Dual MicroRNA Simultaneous One-Step Profiling via Filler-Mediated Quantum Dot DNA Nanospheres for Bladder Cancer Screening. ACS nano · 13 Jun 2026 PMID 42287261
- Modular CRISPR-Cas12a-Activated Gold Nanoparticle Assay for Rapid Visual Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Related miRNAs. ACS sensors · 9 Jun 2026 PMID 42263201
- Design and fabrication of a dual-mode colorimetric nanobiosensor for detection of breast cancer-related microRNA biomarkers upon the simultaneous application of gold nanoparticles and DNAzyme. Analytica chimica acta · 1 Jun 2026 PMID 42219637
- A unified computational-experimental paradigm for rational design of next-generation electrochemical biosensors: the IECM framework. Biomedical physics & engineering express · 12 May 2026 PMID 42119575
- Localized hybridization chain reaction on self-assembled DNA nanospheres overcomes the kinetics-stability-complexity trilemma in miRNA sensing. Biosensors & bioelectronics · 8 May 2026 PMID 42102614
Preclinical: animal, cell and lab studies (4)
- Pan-Cancer Liquid Biopsy and Treatment Monitoring via a Split crRNA-Activated Label-Free CRISPR/Cas12a Platform for Ultrasensitive MicroRNA Detection. Analytical chemistry · 9 Jul 2026 PMID 42424186
- CRISPR/Cas9-mediated miR-21 editing in high-grade urothelial carcinoma cells and its biological effects. Molecular biology reports · 19 Jun 2026 PMID 42319574
- Betulinic acid is associated with miR-21 modulation, apoptosis and redox changes in breast cancer cells: an in vitro and in silico study. Scientific reports · 16 May 2026 PMID 42143107
- Dichromatically Encoded DNA Nanodevice for High-Resolution Molecular Subtyping of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Analytical chemistry · 4 May 2026 PMID 42071303
Written from 15 PubMed abstracts, each one listed by PMID above. Published: 2026-06-16. Last written: 2026-08-26 by GPT. Drafted by language models from published abstracts; not medical advice.