The Role of miRNAs in Mechanotransduction Regulation and Cancer Development

Cells are exposed to various mechanical forces, including extracellular and intracellular forces such as stiffness, tension, compression, viscosity, and shear stress, which regulate cell biology. The process of transducing mechanical stimuli into biochemical signals is termed mechanotransduction. These mechanical forces can regulate protein and gene expression, thereby impacting cell morphology, adhesion, proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. During cancer development, significant changes in extracellular and intracellular mechanical properties occur, resulting in altered mechanical inputs to which cells are exposed. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), key post-transcriptional regulators of gene and protein expression, are increasingly recognized as mechanosensitive molecules involved in cancer development. In this review, we summarize the primary cellular pathways involved in force sensing and mechanotransduction, emphasizing the role of forces in miRNA biogenesis and expression, as well as their influence on the regulation of key mechanotransducers. Furthermore, we focus on recent evidence regarding the induction or repression of miRNAs involved in cancer development by mechanical forces and their impact on the regulation of proteins that contribute to cancer progression.