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Targeting long non-coding RNAs in cancers: progress and prospects

Chi Han Li1, Yangchao Chen

  • 1School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.

The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology
|June 11, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play crucial roles in cancer development. Targeting these non-coding RNA molecules offers a promising new strategy for developing effective cancer therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Genomics and Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research
  • RNA Biology

Background:

  • The human genome produces thousands of RNA transcripts, including long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) larger than 200 nucleotides.
  • lncRNAs, lacking protein-coding ability, are increasingly recognized for their significant roles in various biological functions, particularly in cancer development and progression.
  • Existing research highlights the involvement of specific lncRNAs in cancers, with targeting strategies showing inhibitory effects on malignant cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss the fundamental characteristics of lncRNAs, including their synthesis, stability, and cellular functions.
  • To emphasize the unique properties of lncRNAs that dictate their molecular functions.
  • To explore the association between lncRNAs and cancer, and to illustrate the anticancer effects of modulating lncRNA levels and functions.

Main Methods:

  • Review and discussion of lncRNA characteristics, synthesis, stability, and functional roles.
  • Analysis of the association between lncRNAs and cancer development.
  • Exploration of established and novel therapeutic strategies for targeting lncRNAs in cancer treatment.

Main Results:

  • lncRNAs are implicated in cancer development and progression.
  • Modulating lncRNA levels and functions can induce anticancer effects.
  • lncRNAs represent potential therapeutic targets for cancer.

Conclusions:

  • lncRNAs possess unique properties that are critical for their molecular functions.
  • Targeting lncRNAs presents a promising avenue for novel cancer therapies, building on advances in nucleic acid-based drugs.
  • Further research into lncRNA targeting strategies is warranted for effective cancer treatment.
Keywords:
ANRILASOATRACRCCREBCancerDM1DsRNAEMTEpigeneticsHCCHOTAIRHOX transcript antisense intergenic RNAHULCHamRzIRESLSCCLincRNALncRNALong non-coding RNAMALAT1NATNSCLCNucleic acid drugsORFPCGEM1PCaRISCRNA interferenceRNA secondary structureRNAiRNAi silencing complexSELEXT-UCRTARTherapeutic targetsUTRall-trans retinoic acidantisense non-coding RNA in the INK4 locusantisense oligonucleotidecAMP-responsive element binding proteincolorectal carcinomadouble-stranded RNAepithelial–mesenchymal transitionhammerhead ribozymehepatocellular carcinomahighly up-regulated in liver cancerinternal ribosomal entry sitelaryngeal squamous cell carcinomalong intergenic non-coding RNAlong non-coding RNAmetastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1myotonic dystrophy type 1natural antisense transcriptnon-small cell lung carcinomaopen reading frameprostate cancerprostate cancer gene expression marker 1shRNAsiRNAsmall hairpin RNAsmall interfering RNAsystematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichmenttransactivation response elementtranscribed ultraconserved regionuntranslated region

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