Editorial: Combating Cancer With Natural Products: What Would Non-Coding RNAs Bring?

Abstract

Editorial on the Research TopicCombating Cancer With Natural Products: What Would Non-Coding RNAs Bring?Natural products are innumerably diverse and exhibit different biological characteristics. Natural products have long been used as medicine for different applications. Chemotherapy is ranked as one of the leading cancer treatments, and a wide range of natural products are currently undergoing clinical evaluation for cancer treatment. However, there is still a large proportion of natural products that are not being used in a clinical setting. We have pointed out that managing factors in genetics, epigenetics, cancer stem cells, and the tumor microenvironment have the potential to broaden the application of natural products in cancer therapy (1, 2). Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are an important component of epigenetics. Therefore, the present Research Topic aims to collect articles that evaluate the anti-tumor effect of natural products in relation to regulating ncRNAs.The major types of ncRNAs include rRNA, tRNA, snRNA, snoRNA, siRNA, microRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA. The crosstalk among lncRNA, microRNA, and circRNA plays a key regulatory role in the progression of cancer. They can also affect cancer development and progression via regulating chromatin remodeling, RNA polymerase II binding to the promoter, mRNA splicing, RNA interference, protein stability and location, and more. In the Research Topic, the natural products chrysin (Chen et al.), cucurbitacin B (Tao et al.), ailanthone (Chen et al.), baicalein (Ma et al.), fucoidan (Ma et al.), casearlucin A (Li et al.), Wan-Nian-Qing prescription, bruceine D (Li et al.), and cinnamaldehyde (Chen et al.) were evaluated for their capacity to regulate ncRNAs to treat cancer (Figure 1). Through gathering these papers, many significant findings and implications were found.

Modulation of lncRNA H19 enhances resveratrol‐inhibited cancer cell proliferation and migration by regulating endoplasmic reticulum stress

“…Non-coding RNAs are a critical component of epigenetics and closely associated with tumour chemotherapy. 11,23,24 In the present study, the expression of lncRNA MEG3, PTTG3P, GAS5, BISPR, MALAT1 and H19 was shown to be altered in SGC7901 cells treated with resveratrol. Of these, H19 was initially recognized as an oncofetal transcript, and aberrant increase in its expression has been observed in malignant tissues in several types of cancers.…”

“…Demonstration of an ability to regulate genetic and epigenetic factors would strengthen the case for using such compounds in cancer therapy. 11,22 Resveratrol has potent anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic properties; therefore, there have been numerous studies to investigate its antitumour function in recent decades. Non-coding RNAs are a critical component of epigenetics and closely associated with tumour chemotherapy.…”

“…There are still large numbers of natural compounds that are far from being applied in a clinical setting. Demonstration of an ability to regulate genetic and epigenetic factors would strengthen the case for using such compounds in cancer therapy 11,22 . Resveratrol has potent anti‐inflammatory, anti‐oxidative and anti‐apoptotic properties; therefore, there have been numerous studies to investigate its anti‐tumour function in recent decades.…”

“…Deciphering crosstalk among these cell death mechanisms will be helpful when considering the application of natural compounds in cancer treatment. The regulation of factors related to cell death induction has been shown to enhance the effect of natural compounds on inhibition of cancer cell survival 10–13 …”

“…The regulation of factors related to cell death induction has been shown to enhance the effect of natural compounds on inhibition of cancer cell survival. [10][11][12][13] Meanwhile, treatment with natural compounds frequently activates various signalling pathways, including endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. ER stress could either help to recover cellular homeostasis and maintain cell survival or it can induce cell death.…”