Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 5, 2025
06:54
Studying TGF-β Signaling and TGF-β-induced Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer and Normal Cells
Published on: October 27, 2020
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Long noncoding RNA Smyca coactivates TGF-β/Smad and Myc pathways to drive tumor progression
Hsin-Yi Chen1,2, Shu-Jou Chan3,4, Xinxin Liu3,4
1Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 110, Taiwan.
Journal of Hematology & Oncology
|July 6, 2022
Summary
This study identifies a long noncoding RNA, Smyca, that drives cancer progression and chemoresistance by coordinating key signaling pathways. Targeting Smyca offers a promising therapeutic strategy to combat metastasis and overcome treatment resistance in various cancers.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- Metastasis and chemoresistance are critical factors in cancer mortality.
- The underlying molecular mechanisms driving these processes remain incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify novel molecular factors contributing to cancer metastasis and chemoresistance.
- To elucidate the role of the long noncoding RNA Smyca in cancer progression.
- To explore Smyca as a potential therapeutic target for cancer treatment.
Main Methods:
- Bioinformatic analysis to correlate Smyca expression with cancer features.
- RNA-sequencing to identify Smyca-regulated genes.
- Biochemical assays (RNA pull-down, RIP, ChIP) to determine molecular interactions.
- In vivo xenograft models and in vivo targeting of Smyca using antisense oligonucleotides.
Main Results:
- lncRNA Smyca is associated with poor prognosis across multiple cancer types.
- Smyca promotes metabolic reprogramming, migration, invasion, cancer stemness, metastasis, and chemoresistance.
- Smyca acts as a scaffold for Smad3/Smad4, enhancing TGF-β signaling, and potentiates c-Myc-mediated transcription.
- Targeting Smyca in vivo inhibits metastasis and overcomes chemoresistance.
Conclusions:
- Smyca is a key regulator coordinating pro-tumorigenic pathways, including TGF-β and c-Myc.
- Smyca plays a significant role in driving cancer progression and therapeutic resistance.
- Smyca represents a clinically relevant target for novel cancer therapies.
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