In-silico pharmacological insights into the therapeutic potential of microRNAs for microplastic-associated cancers.

ABSTRACT: Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly implicated in cancer biology through effects on gene expression, stress responses, and treatment susceptibility; however, causal links remain provisional. We systematically screened PubMed and Google Scholar (through September 2025) to identify cancer-related genes reported to be altered by MP exposure and then evaluated microRNAs (miRNAs) with anticancer activity that may target those genes. Mature miRNA sequences were retrieved from RNAcentral and assessed against MP-altered genes using RNAhybrid for target-site prediction and minimum free-energy (mfe) hybridization. MPs were reported to modulate genes across multiple tumor types-including breast, gastric, liver, lung, colorectal, cervical, pancreatic, and skin. In silico analyses identified candidate

SUBMITTER: Baspakova A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12685920 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature