LncRNAs as Potential Therapeutic Targets in Thyroid Cancer

Abstract

Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most common cancer of endocrine system. TC can be subdivided into 4 different entities, papillary, follicular, medullary and anaplastic thyroid cancer. Among them, anaplastic thyroid cancer has the poorest prognosis. Exploring new therapeutic approach may entail favorable prediction as well as increasing overall survival rate of patients. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), have vast implications in different cancer types. Although they are not transcribed into proteins, they can act as a harness in regulating a plethora of biological functions. They have been implicated in a decisive role in gene expression via modulation of both coding and non-coding RNAs. This article discuss the multi-facet role of lncRNA in thyroid cancer biology.

RMRP, RMST, FTX and IPW: novel potential long non-coding RNAs in medullary thyroid cancer

“…Upregulated and downregulated lncRNAs, as post-transcriptional regulators of genetic expression, in different histological types of thyroid cancer, have been described [ 3 , 6 , 26 ]. Particularly, in MTC very few studies have been performed in this emerging field, despite the relevance of using lncRNAs as biomarkers in thyroid cancer diagnosis and prognosis, as well as their potential association with common genetic changes associated with thyroid cancer [ 17 , 18 ].…”

“…Only 2–5% of cases of thyroid cancer are derived from parafollicular cells and this type is called medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) [ 1 , 2 ] and occurs in both familial (ORPHA:99,361) and sporadic forms (ORPHA:1332). Approximately 20% of patients develop distant metastases, which makes MTC an aggressive and rare cancer incurable nowadays as this cancer does not respond to radiotherapy or chemotherapy (13.4% all thyroid cancer mortality) [ 3 ]. About 75% of all MTCs are believed to be sporadic (sMTC), whereas the remaining 25% correspond to inherited cancer syndromes known as Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 2 (MEN2).…”

“…MEN2 includes 3 clinically differentiable types: MEN2A (ORPHA:247,698), MEN2B (ORPHA:247,709) and familial thyroid cancer (FMTC, ORPHA:99,361) [ 4 , 5 ], which present MTC as a common feature and have been defined based on presence or absence of hyperparathyroidism, pheocromocytoma and other additional characteristic clinical features. RET proto-oncogene alterations play a crucial role for thyroid cancer development [ 3 ]. Different mechanisms of RET activation, gene rearrangements and point mutations characterize MTC, representing a very strong factor for its poor prognosis [ 6 , 7 ].…”

MicroRNAs and Natural Compounds Mediated Regulation of TGF Signaling in Prostate Cancer

“…The complex molecular landscape of PCa renders it to escape cellular defenses and continue proliferation. Tumor development and progression is regulated by a number of cellular signaling pathways ( Javed et al, 2020 ). Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) has emerged as an essential modulator and mediator of the key steps of development of cancer such as the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), migration, and invasion ( Behbahani et al, 2017 ).…”

Long non‑coding RNA regulation of TRAIL in breast cancer: A tangle of non‑coding threads (Review)

“…Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are RNA molecules in the range of 200–2,000 bp ( 32 ). lncRNAs have been found to play a crucial role in the development of various cancer types, including breast ( 33 ), thyroid ( 34 ), renal ( 35 ), colorectal ( 36 ), prostate ( 37 ) and ovarian cancer ( 38 ), and have been reported to interact with various molecules during transcription, chromosome remodeling, cellular trafficking and translation ( 39 ). In addition, lncRNAs serve regulatory roles during transcription, mRNA processing, maturation of mRNAs, modification of histone complexes and DNA methyltransferase modifications that occur during epigenetic regulation ( Fig.…”