Long non-coding RNA NR2F1-AS1: an increasingly significant LncRNA in human cancers

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), defined as transcripts exceeding 200 nucleotides without protein-coding potential, have emerged as pivotal regulators in diverse physiological and pathological processes, particularly in tumorigenesis. Among them, NR2F1-AS1, a recently characterized lncRNA, has garnered growing attention due to its dysregulated expression across a spectrum of malignancies and its significant correlation with key clinicopathological parameters. Accumulating evidence from molecular and cellular studies reveals that NR2F1-AS1 plays multifaceted roles in cancer initiation and progression through the modulation of signaling pathways, regulation of gene expression, and interactions with microRNAs and protein complexes. Notably, its biological function appears to be context-dependent: acting as an oncogene in many cancer types, such as breast, lung, liver, and gastric cancer, while exhibiting potential tumor-suppressive activity in others, including colorectal cancer, cervical squamous cell carcinoma, and thymic epithelial tumors. This review comprehensively summarizes the aberrant expression patterns, prognostic significance, biological functions, and molecular mechanisms of NR2F1-AS1, while also highlighting its emerging potential as a context-specific diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target in human cancers.