miRNAs are evolutionarily conserved non-coding ribonucleic acids with a length of between 19 and 25 nucleotides. Because of their ability to regulate gene expression, miRNAs have an important function in the controlling of various biological processes, such as cell cycle, differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. Owing to the long-standing regulative potential of miRNAs in tumor-suppressive pathways, scholars have recently paid closer attention to the expression profile of miRNAs in various types of cancer. Melatonin, an indolic compound secreted from pineal gland and some peripheral tissues, has been considered as an effective anti-tumor hormone in a wide spectrum of cancers. Furthermore, it induces apoptosis, inhibits tumor metastasis and invasion, and also angiogenesis. A growing body of evidence indicates the effects of melatonin on miRNAs expression in broad spectrum of diseases, including cancer. Due to the long-term effects of the regulation of miRNAs expression, melatonin could be a promising therapeutic factor in the treatment of cancers via the regulation of miRNAs. Therefore, in this review, we will discuss the effects of melatonin on miRNAs expression in various types of cancers.

miRNA 是进化上保守的非编码核糖核酸，长度在 19 到 25 个核苷酸之间。由于其调节基因表达的能力，miRNA在控制各种生物过程中具有重要作用，例如细胞周期、分化、增殖和凋亡。由于 miRNAs 在肿瘤抑制途径中的长期调控潜力，学者们最近更加关注 miRNAs 在各种癌症中的表达谱。褪黑激素是松果体和一些外周组织分泌的一种吲哚化合物，被认为是一种有效的抗肿瘤激素，可治疗多种癌症。此外，它还诱导细胞凋亡，抑制肿瘤转移和侵袭，以及血管生成。越来越多的证据表明褪黑激素对包括癌症在内的多种疾病中的 miRNA 表达的影响。由于调节 miRNAs 表达的长期影响，褪黑激素可能是通过调节 miRNAs 治疗癌症的有前途的治疗因子。因此，在这篇综述中，我们将讨论褪黑激素对各种癌症中 miRNA 表达的影响。