Progress on the relationship between miR-125 family and tumorigenesis

•The gene location, expression regulation and biological functionof miR-125 family.•Progress on the relationship between miR−125 family and tumorigenesis.•The expression of miR-125 family in different malignant tumor.•miR-125b forms part of regulatory networks controlling tumorigenesis.•Offer a new therapeutic target for cancer biotherapye miR-125b forms part of regulatory networks controlling tumorigenesis.•Offer a new therapeutic target for cancer biotherapy.

miRNA-125 family, which is a highly conserved miRNA family throughout evolution, is consist of miRNA-125a-3p, miRNA-125a-5p, miRNA-125b-1 and miRNA-125b-2.The aberrant expression of miR-125 familyis tightly related to tumorigenesis and tumor development. The downstream targets of miRNA-125 include transcription factors like STAT3, cytokines like IL-6 and TGF-β, tumor suppressing protein p53, pro-apoptotic protein Bak1 and RNA binding protein HuR et al. Through regulating these downstream targets miR-125 family is involved in regulating tumorigenesis and tumor development. Nowadays, miR-125b have already became a putative and valuable biomarker for cancer diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. In this review, we mainly summarize the dual function of miRNA-125 family in suppression and promotion of cancer cells and further elaborate its regulatory mechanisms from four facets, proliferation, apoptosis, invasion or metastasis and immune response.