Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 7, 2026

Dual CRISPR-Interference Strategy for Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions Between Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Cells
07:23

Dual CRISPR-Interference Strategy for Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions Between Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Cells

Published on: May 30, 2025

1.3K

Long Noncoding RNA in Digestive Tract Cancers: Function, Mechanism, and Potential Biomarker

Shuo Zeng1, Yu-Feng Xiao1, Bo Tang1

  • 1Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.

The Oncologist
|July 10, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) show abnormal expression in digestive tract cancers (DTCs), impacting patient survival. Understanding lncRNA functions and mechanisms is crucial for developing new diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for DTCs.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Digestive tract cancers (DTCs) are a major global cause of cancer mortality.
  • Current treatments for advanced DTCs are limited, and early diagnosis is hindered by a lack of effective biomarkers.
  • There is a critical need for novel biomarkers for early detection and new therapeutic targets for DTCs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the development and progression of digestive tract cancers.
  • To summarize the functions and regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs implicated in DTCs.
  • To highlight the potential of lncRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for DTCs.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on studies investigating lncRNAs in digestive tract cancers.
  • Analysis of research on the aberrant expression of lncRNAs in DTCs.
  • Examination of the oncogenic and tumor-suppressive roles of lncRNAs in DTC progression.

Main Results:

  • lncRNAs are frequently aberrantly expressed in DTCs.
  • lncRNA expression profiles correlate with poor patient survival in DTCs.
  • lncRNAs function as either oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in DTCs.

Conclusions:

  • lncRNAs play significant roles in the pathogenesis of digestive tract cancers.
  • lncRNAs represent promising candidates for early diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in DTCs.
  • Further research into lncRNA regulatory mechanisms is warranted for advancing DTC treatment strategies.
Keywords:
BiomarkerDigestive tract cancersEpigenetic regulationLong noncoding RNAs

Related Concept Videos

lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs02:39

lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs

In humans, more than 80% of the genome gets transcribed. However, only around 2% of the genome codes for proteins. The remaining part produces non-coding RNAs which includes ribosomal RNAs, transfer RNAs, telomerase RNAs, and regulatory RNAs, among other types. A large number of regulatory non-coding RNAs have been classified into two groups depending upon their length – small non-coding RNAs, such as microRNA, which are less than 200 nucleotides in length, and long non-coding RNA...
10.2K
lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs02:39

lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs

3.9K
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After...
24.7K
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...
4.3K
Non-LTR Retrotransposons03:18

Non-LTR Retrotransposons

As the name suggests, non-LTR retrotransposons lack the long terminal repeats characteristic of the LTR retrotransposons. Additionally, both LTR and non-LTR retrotransposons use distinct mechanisms of mobilization. Non-LTR retrotransposons are further divided into two classes - Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) and short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs), both of which occur abundantly in most mammals, including humans. Some of the active non-LTR retrotransposons in humans are L1...
14.1K
Types of RNA01:23

Types of RNA

Overview
Three main types of RNA are involved in protein synthesis: messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). These RNAs perform diverse functions and can be broadly classified as protein-coding or non-coding RNA. Non-coding RNAs play important roles in the regulation of gene expression in response to developmental and environmental changes. Non-coding RNAs in prokaryotes can be manipulated to develop more effective antibacterial drugs for human or animal use.
RNA...
74.0K