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Optimized Quantitative Assessment of Enhancer RNA Stability in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
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Enhancer RNAs in cancer: regulation, mechanisms and therapeutic potential

Joo-Hyung Lee1, Feng Xiong1, Wenbo Li1,2

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center , Houston, TX, USA.

RNA Biology
|January 10, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) are noncoding RNAs transcribed from enhancers, playing crucial roles in gene regulation. Research highlights their potential as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for various human cancers.

Area of Science:

  • Genomics and Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research
  • Gene Regulation

Background:

  • Enhancers are critical distal genomic elements regulating gene expression and cell identity.
  • Enhancer malfunction, due to genetic/epigenetic alterations, is linked to human cancer development.
  • Active enhancers are now known to produce noncoding RNAs, termed enhancer RNAs (eRNAs).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the history, functional mechanisms, and importance of eRNAs in cancer gene regulation.
  • To explore the therapeutic and diagnostic potential of eRNAs in oncology.
  • To propose eRNA-targeted therapy as a promising intervention for human cancers.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of eRNA research in the context of cancer gene regulation.
  • Analysis of evidence supporting functional roles of eRNAs in normal and cancer cells.
  • Discussion of eRNA expression patterns and their implications for diagnostics and therapeutics.

Main Results:

  • Most active enhancers pervasively transcribe eRNAs, which have functional roles in gene regulation.
  • eRNA expression is widespread yet specific to tumor types and individual patients.
  • A subset of eRNAs demonstrates significant roles in cancer gene regulation.

Conclusions:

  • eRNAs represent a novel class of molecules with significant implications in cancer biology.
  • The tumor-specific expression of eRNAs offers opportunities for developing diagnostic markers.
  • Targeting eRNAs presents a promising strategy for novel cancer therapies.
Keywords:
EnhancersRNA binding proteinsRNA therapycancercancer diagnosiscancer therapychromatinchromatin loopingenhancer RNAsepigeneticsgene transcription regulationlncRNAsnoncoding RNAsprognosis

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