Interrelation of MicroRNAs and Transposons in Aging and Carcinogenesis

The dysregulation of transposable elements plays a key role in human carcinogenesis. Physiological aging in humans is also caused by the deregulation of transposons. Moreover, aging is associated with the development of cancer. We present the results of an analysis of data on the presence of common epigenetic changes during aging and carcinogenesis, associated with changes in the expression of microRNAs derived from transposons. We find that aging is characterized by changes in the expression of 21 specific transposon-derived microRNAs associated with the development of malignant neoplasms. Before us, evidence similar to ours on the relationship between the mechanisms of aging and carcinogenesis at the epigenetic level has not been presented. We hypothesize that one of the key mechanisms of aging is an imbalance in the programmed activation of mobile genetic elements, which is reflected in changes in the body’s epigenetic regulation and leads to an increased risk of cancer. Since microRNA precursors can be translated with the formation of functional molecules, peptides used in gerontology can be considered as potential anticancer drugs.