Noncoding RNAs and their therapeutics in paclitaxel chemotherapy: Mechanisms of initiation, progression, and drug...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Paclitaxel (PTX) is a key chemotherapy agent, but its efficacy is limited by drug resistance.
• Tumor resistance to PTX often arises from increased drug transporter expression and pro-tumor pathways.
• Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are critical regulators of cellular processes involved in cancer development and drug response.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and summarize the multifaceted roles of ncRNAs in modulating paclitaxel (PTX) resistance and sensitivity in cancer chemotherapy.
• To highlight how different classes of ncRNAs influence PTX efficacy through various molecular mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and synthesis of existing research on ncRNAs and PTX chemotherapy.
• Analysis of studies detailing the impact of microRNAs, PIWI-interacting RNAs, siRNAs, shRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs on PTX response.

Main Results:

• MicroRNAs (miRNAs) exhibit dual roles in PTX resistance, affecting targets like YES1, SK2, MRP1, and STAT3, and influencing tumor cell growth and migration.
• Other ncRNAs, including PIWI-interacting RNAs, siRNAs, shRNAs, and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), also regulate PTX sensitivity by impacting miRNA pathways and drug efflux.
• Circular RNAs (circRNAs) affect PTX cytotoxicity, with a current emphasis on oncogenic circRNAs, suggesting a need to explore onco-suppressor circRNAs.

Conclusions:

• ncRNAs are pivotal regulators of PTX resistance and sensitivity, offering potential therapeutic targets for overcoming chemotherapy limitations.
• Understanding the complex interactions of various ncRNA classes is crucial for developing novel strategies to enhance PTX efficacy.
• Future research should investigate both oncogenic and onco-suppressor circRNAs to fully elucidate their role in PTX response.