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Published on: May 30, 2025
Small Nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) in Cancer: From Biogenesis to Clinical Potential
Han Zhang1, Chunli He1, Dan Chen1
1Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.
Oncotargets and Therapy
|July 14, 2026
Summary
Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) and their products are crucial in cancer. Dysregulation of these regulatory RNAs drives tumor progression and offers potential for non-invasive cancer diagnostics.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Epigenetics
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are key regulators of ribosomal RNA processing and translation.
- They influence epigenetic modifications through protein interactions and can be processed into piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and snoRNA-derived fragments (sdRNAs).
- Aberrant expression of snoRNAs and their products is common in tumors, contributing to oncogenic functions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review snoRNA biogenesis and mechanisms of dysregulation in cancer.
- To elucidate the impact of aberrant snoRNAs on tumorigenesis and cancer progression.
- To highlight clinically significant snoRNAs for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of snoRNA biogenesis pathways.
- Analysis of DNA and RNA alterations leading to snoRNA dysregulation in malignancies.
- Examination of oncogenic mechanisms driven by aberrant snoRNAs.
Main Results:
- SnoRNA dysregulation arises from DNA alterations (mutations, chromosomal aberrations) and RNA-level disruptions (epigenetic modifications, degradation, trafficking).
- Dysregulated snoRNAs promote cancer hallmarks like proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and immune evasion via epigenetic remodeling and ceRNA networks.
- Tumor-associated snoRNAs in body fluids show promise as non-invasive biomarkers for early cancer detection and prognosis.
Conclusions:
- SnoRNAs and their derived small RNAs play critical roles in cancer development and progression.
- Understanding snoRNA dysregulation mechanisms is vital for developing novel cancer therapies.
- Aberrant snoRNAs represent promising biomarkers for early cancer diagnosis and predicting patient outcomes.
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