Interplay between TGF-β signaling and long non-coding RNAs in digestive system cancers: mechanisms and biological...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• The transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signaling pathway is crucial in cellular processes and is implicated in digestive system cancers.
• Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are increasingly recognized for their regulatory roles in cancer development and progression.
• The interplay between TGFβ signaling and lncRNAs significantly impacts the behavior of digestive system cancers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the intricate interactions between the TGFβ signaling pathway and lncRNAs in digestive system cancers.
• To elucidate the roles of these interactions in cancer progression, metastasis, and clinical features.
• To highlight the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic potential of targeting the lncRNA-TGFβ axis.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies investigating TGFβ signaling and lncRNAs in digestive cancers.
• Analysis of research on the functional roles of lncRNAs in cancer biology, including EMT, tumor growth, and immune response.
• Synthesis of findings related to biomarker potential and therapeutic strategies targeting the lncRNA-TGFβ axis.

Main Results:

• Dysregulated lncRNA expression associated with the TGFβ-Smad pathway correlates with clinical features in digestive cancers.
• lncRNAs influence key biological functions such as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), tumor growth, and immune evasion.
• These lncRNAs interact with TGFβ-Smad pathway molecules, affecting gene transcription and cellular behavior.

Conclusions:

• The lncRNA-TGFβ axis plays a critical role in the progression and metastasis of digestive system cancers.
• Altered lncRNA expression serves as a potential biomarker for early detection and prognosis of digestive cancers.
• Targeting the lncRNA-TGFβ interaction presents a promising novel therapeutic strategy for digestive system cancers.