A mechanistic view of long noncoding RNAs in cancer

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as important modulators of a wide range of biological processes in normal and disease states. In particular, lncRNAs have garnered significant interest as novel players in the molecular pathology of cancer, spurring efforts to define the functions, and elucidate the mechanisms through which cancer-associated lncRNAs operate. In this review, we discuss the prevalent mechanisms employed by lncRNAs, with a critical assessment of the methodologies used to determine each molecular function. We survey the abilities of cancer-associated lncRNAs to enact diverse trans functions throughout the nucleus and in the cytoplasm and examine the local roles of cis-acting lncRNAs in modulating the expression of neighboring genes. In linking lncRNA functions and mechanisms to their roles in cancer biology, we contend that a detailed molecular understanding of lncRNA functionality is key to elucidating their contributions to tumorigenesis and to unlocking their therapeutic potential. This article is categorized under: Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.