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Dual CRISPR-Interference Strategy for Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions Between Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Cells
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Non-coding RNAs in EMT regulation: Association with tumor progression and therapy response

Mehrdokht Sadrkhanloo1, Maliheh Entezari2, Mohsen Rashidi3

  • 1Faculty of Medicine, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

European Journal of Pharmacology
|September 2, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) significantly impact cancer progression by regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). These ncRNAs influence metastasis, drug sensitivity, and offer potential for cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are crucial regulators of cellular processes like growth and differentiation.
  • Aberrant ncRNA expression is linked to various diseases, particularly cancer.
  • Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key mechanism in cancer invasion and metastasis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of ncRNAs in regulating EMT.
  • To understand the impact of ncRNA-EMT interactions on cancer progression, metastasis, and drug sensitivity.
  • To explore the potential of ncRNAs in cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

Main Methods:

  • Review and analysis of existing literature on ncRNAs and EMT in cancer.
  • Examination of how different types of ncRNAs (miRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs) modulate EMT pathways.
  • Investigation of exosome-mediated transfer of ncRNAs and their effect on cancer.

Main Results:

  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate EMT via pathways like PI3K/Akt and PTEN, affecting metastasis and drug sensitivity.
  • Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) target key EMT regulators (ZEB1/2, Twist, Snail) and influence therapy response.
  • ncRNAs, including those transferred via exosomes, play a significant role in modulating EMT, impacting cancer metastasis and drug sensitivity.

Conclusions:

  • ncRNAs are critical regulators of EMT in cancer, influencing key processes like metastasis and drug resistance.
  • The interplay between different ncRNAs (miRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs) and EMT pathways offers therapeutic targets.
  • ncRNAs hold promise as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for cancer, particularly in relation to EMT.
Keywords:
Cancer therapyChemoresistanceMetastasisNcRNAsSignaling network

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