Long non-coding RNAs: potential new biomarkers for predicting tumor invasion and metastasis

Abstract

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in malignant neoplasia. Indeed, many hallmarks of cancer define that the malignant phenotype of tumor cells are controlled by lncRNAs. Despite a growing number of studies highlighting their importance in cancer, there has been no systematic review of metastasis-associated lncRNAs in various cancer types. Accordingly, we focus on the key metastasis-related lncRNAs and outline their expression status in cancer tissues by reviewing the previous stuides, in order to summarize the nowadays research achivements for lncRNAs related to cancer metastasis. Medline, EMBASE, as well as PubMed databases were applied to study lncRNAs which were tightly associated with tumor invasion and metastasis. Up to now, a substantial number of lncRNAs have been found to have important biological functions. In this review, according to their various features in cancer, lncRNAs were roughly divided into three categories: promoting tumor invasion and metastasis, negative regulation of tumor metastasis and with dual regulatory roles. The present studies may establish the foundation for both further research on the mechanisms of cancer progression and future lncRNA-based clinical applications.

The long non-coding RNA MALAT1 promotes the migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma by sponging miR-204 and releasing SIRT1

“…[4][5][6] For example, metastasisassociated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) is a highly abundant and conserved lncRNA in mammals. 3,7 The expression of MALAT1 is dynamically regulated on the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels by multiple factors and it is frequently upregulated in multiple types of cancers. 7,8 In addition to serving as a cancer biomarker, MALAT1 functionally contributes to the malignant behaviors of tumor cells through variable mechanisms in a cancer-type-dependent manner.…”

LncRNA HOTAIR acts as competing endogenous RNA to control the expression of Notch3 via sponging miR-613 in pancreatic cancer

“…For example, miR-182 promotes pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and migration by targeting beta-TrCP2 [8]; miR-940 promotes cell proliferation by targeting GSK3β and sFRP1 in human pancreatic carcinoma [9]; on the other hand, miR-34a inhibits pancreatic cancer progression via Snail1-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the notch signaling pathway [10]; miR-377 inhibits the proliferation of pancreatic cancer by targeting Pim-3 [11]. The long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides, and they can not code proteins [12]. LncRNA was found to play important roles in various types of cancer including breast cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer and so on [12].…”

“…The long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides, and they can not code proteins [12]. LncRNA was found to play important roles in various types of cancer including breast cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer and so on [12]. Various molecular mechanisms of lncRNA underlying cancer development have been proposed [13].…”

For robust big data analyses: a collection of 150 important pro-metastatic genes

“…Although not covered in this review article, emerging data regarding the regulatory roles of non-coding RNA in metastasis have linked different pro-metastatic genes to forming signaling cascades [7–9]. Further investigation into the roles of non-coding RNA in metastasis is warranted.…”