Small Noncoding RNA Expression in Cancer

Abstract

Despite an inability to encode proteins, small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs) have critical functions in the regulation of gene expression. They have demonstrated roles in cancer development and progression and are frequently dysregulated. Here we review the biogenesis and mechanism of action, expression patterns, and detection methods of two types of sncRNAs frequently described in cancer: miRNAs and piRNAs. Both miRNAs and piRNAs have been observed to play both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive roles, with miRNAs acting to directly regulate the mRNA of key cancer-associated genes, while piRNAs play crucial roles in maintaining the integrity of the epigenetic landscape. Elucidating these important functions of sncRNAs in normal and cancer biology relies on numerous in silico workflows and tools to profile sncRNA expression. Thus, we also discuss the key detection methods for cancerrelevant sncRNAs, including the discovery of genes that have yet to be described.

Epigenetic Features in Uterine Leiomyosarcoma and Endometrial Stromal Sarcomas: An Overview of the Literature

“…Regulatory ncRNAs are classified according to their size in small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs), with approximately 19-200 nucleotides (nt), and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), with more than 200 nt [ 105 , 108 , 113 , 204 , 205 ]. The sncRNAs have a wide range of structural and functional roles in gene expression regulation, RNA splicing, and chromatin structure [ 206 , 207 ]. sncRNAs includes four different categories: (1) small interfering RNA (siRNA), (2) microRNA (miRNA), (3) PIWI-interfering RNA (piRNA, with approximately 19-31 nt), and (4) small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA, with 60-300 nt) [ 111 , 203 ].…”

“…sncRNAs includes four different categories: (1) small interfering RNA (siRNA), (2) microRNA (miRNA), (3) PIWI-interfering RNA (piRNA, with approximately 19-31 nt), and (4) small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA, with 60-300 nt) [ 111 , 203 ]. miRNA and piRNA are probably the most studied sncRNAs categories to date, and their functions are well established in the literature [ 206 ]. Due to miRNAs’ broad roles, mainly at the post-transcriptional level, dysfunctions in their regulation have been associated with the development of several diseases, including cancer [ 205 , 206 , 208 ].…”

“…miRNA and piRNA are probably the most studied sncRNAs categories to date, and their functions are well established in the literature [ 206 ]. Due to miRNAs’ broad roles, mainly at the post-transcriptional level, dysfunctions in their regulation have been associated with the development of several diseases, including cancer [ 205 , 206 , 208 ].…”

Non-Coding RNAs Set a New Phenotypic Frontier in Prostate Cancer Metastasis and Resistance

“…Excitingly, several ncRNAs have been seen to hold tremendous potential, or already serve as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers for PCa, while other ncRNAs appear highly attractive as targets for therapeutic intervention [ 161 ]. Small non-coding RNAs include microRNAs (miRNAs), PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs), small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), and transfer RNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), among others [ 164 , 166 , 167 ], while long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) include antisense RNAs, sense intronic RNAs, pseudogenes and circular RNAs (circRNAs) [ 164 , 166 , 168 ]. In PCa, evidence is continuing to mount which reveals the role that several kinds of both small and long ncRNAs have in regulating EMT and metastasis.…”