Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 22, 2025

Dual CRISPR-Interference Strategy for Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions Between Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Cells
07:23

Dual CRISPR-Interference Strategy for Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions Between Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Cells

Published on: May 30, 2025

549

Small Non-Coding RNAs in Human Cancer

Qunli Xiong1, Yaguang Zhang2, Junjun Li3

  • 1Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.

Genes
|November 11, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Small non-coding RNAs, including microRNAs and PIWI-interacting RNAs, play crucial roles in cancer. This review covers their biogenesis, functions, and potential as cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Small non-coding RNAs are vital molecules in biological processes.
  • Their involvement in human health and diseases, particularly cancer, is a growing area of research.
  • Understanding these molecules is key to advancing cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the biogenesis of small non-coding RNAs.
  • To discuss the biological functions of microRNAs, PIWI-interacting RNAs, and tRNA-derived small RNAs in human cancer.
  • To highlight their clinical applications in oncology.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of small non-coding RNA research.
  • Focus on microRNAs, PIWI-interacting RNAs, and tRNA-derived small RNAs.
  • Analysis of their roles in cancer initiation and progression.

Main Results:

  • Small non-coding RNAs are integral to cancer development.
  • MicroRNAs, PIWI-interacting RNAs, and tRNA-derived small RNAs exhibit diverse functions in cancer.
  • These RNAs show promise as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Conclusions:

  • Small non-coding RNAs are critical regulators in human cancers.
  • Their distinct biogenesis pathways influence their functions.
  • Clinical applications as biomarkers and therapeutic targets are promising avenues for cancer treatment.
Keywords:
PIWI-interacting RNAcancerdiagnosismicroRNAprognosissmall non-coding RNAtRNA-derived small RNAtherapy

More Related Videos

CRISPR Gene Editing Tool for MicroRNA Cluster Network Analysis10:40

CRISPR Gene Editing Tool for MicroRNA Cluster Network Analysis

Published on: April 25, 2022

2.5K
Enhanced Northern Blot Detection of Small RNA Species in Drosophila Melanogaster09:39

Enhanced Northern Blot Detection of Small RNA Species in Drosophila Melanogaster

Published on: August 21, 2014

24.2K

Related Concept Videos

lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs02:39

lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs

In humans, more than 80% of the genome gets transcribed. However, only around 2% of the genome codes for proteins. The remaining part produces non-coding RNAs which includes ribosomal RNAs, transfer RNAs, telomerase RNAs, and regulatory RNAs, among other types. A large number of regulatory non-coding RNAs have been classified into two groups depending upon their length – small non-coding RNAs, such as microRNA, which are less than 200 nucleotides in length, and long non-coding RNA...
8.7K
siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs02:30

siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs

Small interfering RNAs, or siRNAs, are short regulatory RNA molecules that can silence genes post-transcriptionally, as well as the transcriptional level in some cases. siRNAs are important for protecting cells against viral infections and silencing transposable genetic elements.
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the...
16.9K
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...
3.1K
Types of RNA01:20

Types of RNA

Three main types of RNA are involved in protein synthesis: messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). These RNAs perform diverse functions and can be broadly classified as protein-coding or non-coding RNA. Non-coding RNAs play important roles in regulating gene expression in response to developmental and environmental changes. Non-coding RNAs in prokaryotes can be manipulated to develop more effective antibacterial drugs for human or animal use.
RNA Performs Diverse...
6.1K
RNA Interference01:23

RNA Interference

RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which a small non-coding RNA molecule blocks the post-transcriptional expression of a gene by binding to its messenger RNA (mRNA) and preventing the protein from being translated.
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
26.3K
Small interfering RNAs (siRNA)02:30

Small interfering RNAs (siRNA)

3.6K