[Function and regulation of long non-coding RNAs in tumorigenesis and host innate immunity-A review]

Long non-coding RNA(lncRNA) is a class of RNA transcripts with length over 200 nucleotides and absence of the ability to encode a functional protein. Although long non-coding RNAs were previously thought as transcriptional noises, increasing evidences have recently shown that they play important roles in a variety of cellular processes through regulating epigenetic modifications and thereby affecting gene transcription, post-transcriptional processing, and protein translation. Importantly, it has been found that abnormal expression or dysregulation of lncRNAs are closely associated with tumorigenesis and host innate immune response to various infections with pathogens. In this review, we will discuss the progresses in understanding the function of lncRNAs in these processes.