Long non-coding RNAs and their role in metastasis

Abstract

Cancer metastasis is a multistep process in which cancer cells leave the primary focus, survive in the bloodstream, and colonize in a distant organ. This is the main cause of cancer morbidity and mortality. It is mediated by a multistep process called the metastatic cascade. Initial steps include local invasion and migration, angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMF) and intravasation. Non-coding RNAs represent a large part of the transcriptome, with long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) constituting a large proportion. The perception of long non-coding RNAs as fragments of RNA and transcriptional noise has been constantly replaced by their role as confirmed targets for various physiological processes in the past few years. A large amount of evidence has revealed their role at all stages of carcinogenesis and in modulating metastasis through regulatory networks. In this review, we focus on the role of long non-coding RNAs as promoters or inhibitors in the main stages of the metastatic cascade, and in particular consider their role in the metastasis of malignant tumors to the brain.