Quiroz-Reyes AG, Delgado-Gonzalez P, Islas JF, Loaiza-Gutierrez VL, Santoyo-Suarez MG, Garcia-Loredo JA, Gonzalez-Villarreal CA, Ramirez-Fernandez F, Garza-Treviño EN. Tumor microenvironment-driven microRNA dysregulation: Key interactions in colorectal cancer progression. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2026; 18(1): 113553 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v18.i1.113553]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Elsa N Garza-Treviño, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Av. Francisco I Madero Pte. s/n y Calle Dr. Eduardo Aguirre Pequeño. Colonia Mitras Centro, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. elsa.garzatr@uanl.edu.mx
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
Review
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Jan 15, 2026; 18(1): 113553 Published online Jan 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v18.i1.113553
Tumor microenvironment-driven microRNA dysregulation: Key interactions in colorectal cancer progression
Adriana G Quiroz-Reyes, Paulina Delgado-Gonzalez, Jose Francisco Islas, Veronica L Loaiza-Gutierrez, Michelle G Santoyo-Suarez, Juan A Garcia-Loredo, Carlos A Gonzalez-Villarreal, Fernanda Ramirez-Fernandez, Elsa N Garza-Treviño
Adriana G Quiroz-Reyes, Paulina Delgado-Gonzalez, Jose Francisco Islas, Veronica L Loaiza-Gutierrez, Michelle G Santoyo-Suarez, Juan A Garcia-Loredo, Fernanda Ramirez-Fernandez, Elsa N Garza-Treviño, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Carlos A Gonzalez-Villarreal, Universidad de Monterrey, UDEM Vicerrectoria de Ciencias de la Salud, Monterrey 66238, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Author contributions: Quiroz-Reyes AG, Delgado-Gonzalez P, Santoyo-Suarez MG and Garcia-Loredo JA made the literature analysis and wrote part of the text of manuscript of this review; Quiroz-Reyes AG, Gonzalez-Villarreal CA and Ramirez-Fernandez F design of the tables and images, wrote, analyzed, and corrected the manuscript; Islas JF, and Garza-Treviño EN made the literature analysis and wrote part of the text and corrected the manuscript; Garza-Treviño EN supervised, directed and edited the manuscript; Quiroz-Reyes AG, Delgado-Gonzalez P, Islas JF, Loaiza-Gutierrez VL, Santoyo-Suarez MG, Garcia-Loredo JA, Gonzalez-Villarreal CA, Ramirez-Fernandez F, Garza-Treviño EN read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Elsa N Garza-Treviño, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Av. Francisco I Madero Pte. s/n y Calle Dr. Eduardo Aguirre Pequeño. Colonia Mitras Centro, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. elsa.garzatr@uanl.edu.mx
Received: September 2, 2025 Revised: September 30, 2025 Accepted: November 18, 2025 Published online: January 15, 2026 Processing time: 132 Days and 6.1 Hours
Abstract
Colorectal cancer remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite notable advances in early detection and therapeutic strategies, the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor survival, chemotherapy resistance, and metastasis are not yet fully understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as pivotal regulators of cancer development, as they modulate gene expression and orchestrate key signaling pathways. However, the epigenetic mechanisms that control miRNA expression and their downstream gene targets remain largely unclear. In this review, we highlight the critical role of the colorectal cancer microenvironment in influencing miRNA expression and discuss how this regulation contributes to tumorigenesis. A better understanding of these processes may lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets and strategies to prevent recurrence.
Core Tip: MicroRNAs are crucial regulators of colorectal cancer progression, influencing tumor development, therapeutic response, and serving as potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets. Their expression is strongly shaped by the dynamic interaction between tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment. This comprehensive review summarizes the key microRNAs implicated in tumor progression and discusses the main therapeutic targets, highlighting current knowledge and strategies designed to modulate their expression and enhance treatment response.
