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Updated: Jun 22, 2025
Dual CRISPR-Interference Strategy for Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions Between Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Cells
Published on: May 30, 2025
Noncoding RNAs in tumorigenesis and tumor therapy
Pingping Zhu1,2, Benyu Liu1,3, Zusen Fan1
1CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
Abstract:
Tumorigenesis is a complicated process in which numerous modulators are involved in different ways. Previous studies have focused primarily on tumor-associated protein-coding genes such as oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, as well as their associated oncogenic pathways. However, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), rising stars in diverse physiological and pathological processes, have recently emerged as additional modulators in tumorigenesis. In this review, we focus on two typical kinds of ncRNAs: long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs). We describe the molecular patterns of ncRNAs and focus on the roles of ncRNAs in cancer stem cells (CSCs), tumor cells, and tumor environmental cells. CSCs are a small subset of tumor cells and are generally considered to be cells that initiate tumorigenesis, and dozens of ncRNAs have been defined as critical modulators in CSC maintenance and oncogenesis. Moreover, ncRNAs are widely involved in oncogenetic processes, including sustaining proliferation, resisting cell death, genome instability, metabolic disorders, immune escape and metastasis. We also discuss the potential applications of ncRNAs in tumor diagnosis and therapy. The progress in ncRNA research greatly improves our understanding of ncRNAs in oncogenesis and provides new potential targets for future tumor therapy.
Insights
Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are key regulators in tumorigenesis. These ncRNAs play crucial roles in cancer stem cells and various oncogenic processes, offering potential for tumor diagnosis and therapy.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology
- Genetics
Background:
- Tumorigenesis involves complex interactions, with prior research focusing on protein-coding genes.
- Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are emerging as critical regulators in cancer development.
- This review specifically examines long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the molecular patterns and roles of ncRNAs in tumorigenesis.
- To highlight the involvement of ncRNAs in cancer stem cells (CSCs), tumor cells, and the tumor microenvironment.
- To discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of ncRNAs in cancer.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on ncRNAs in cancer.
- Analysis of ncRNA involvement in CSC maintenance and oncogenesis.
- Examination of ncRNA roles in key cancer processes like proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and immune escape.
Main Results:
- ncRNAs, particularly lncRNAs and circRNAs, are significant modulators in tumorigenesis.
- Dozens of ncRNAs critically regulate cancer stem cells (CSCs) and oncogenesis.
- ncRNAs are implicated in sustaining proliferation, resisting cell death, genome instability, metabolic disorders, immune escape, and metastasis.
Conclusions:
- ncRNA research significantly enhances our understanding of oncogenesis.
- ncRNAs represent promising targets for future cancer diagnosis and therapy.
- Further investigation into ncRNAs will advance cancer treatment strategies.
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