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Wang Y, Zhang M, Zhou F. Biological functions and clinical applications of exosomal long non-coding RNAs in cancer. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 24:11656-11666. [PMID: 32924276 PMCID: PMC7578871 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Exosomes are extracellular vesicles secreted by donor cells, and one of the important roles of exosomes is intercellular communication. Exosomes contain proteins, lipids, DNA and RNA. The components exert their functions by modulating the cellular processes of recipient cells. Exosomal long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important components and play multiple roles in tumorigenesis and tumour development. In this review, we summarize the biological functions and clinical applications of exosomal lncRNAs in cancer. Exosomal lncRNAs regulate cell proliferation, metastasis, drug resistance and angiogenesis in human cancers. Since exosomal lncRNAs are associated with clinicopathological characteristics of cancer, these might be potentially useful biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. Exosomal lncRNAs participate in multiple processes of cancer progression, which makes them promising therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Wang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mengdi Zhang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fangfang Zhou
- Institutes of Biology and Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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Wu Q, Liu W, Wang J, Zhu L, Wang Z, Peng Y. Exosomal noncoding RNAs in colorectal cancer. Cancer Lett 2020; 493:228-235. [PMID: 32898600 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.08.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a commonly diagnosed malignancy with unsatisfactory survival outcomes. Recent studies indicate that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) can be selectively packaged into exosomes, the extracellular vesicles composed of a lipid bilayer, and delivered from donor to recipient cells, thus regulating the behavior of the recipient cells. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that exosomal ncRNAs in blood exhibit distinct expression patterns among CRC patients with or without metastasis, and healthy controls. Moreover, exosomal ncRNAs can participate in the regulation of tumor microenvironment, the establishment of pre-metastatic niches, and the induction of drug resistance via cell-to-cell communication. Intriguingly, exosomal ncRNAs have the potential to serve as biomarkers for diagnosis, prognostic prediction, and therapeutic response monitoring of patients with CRC. In this review, we summarize the emerging functions of exosomal ncRNAs during CRC development and also discuss their potential clinical application in patients with CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingbin Wu
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Wenrong Liu
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Lei Zhu
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Ziqiang Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Yong Peng
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
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Li G, Yang H, Cheng Y, Zhao X, Li X, Jiang R. Identification of a three-miRNA signature as a novel prognostic model for papillary renal cell carcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2020; 20:317. [PMID: 32694939 PMCID: PMC7367267 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-020-01398-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) accounting for near 20% of renal cell carcinoma is the second most common histological subtype. MiRNAs have been demonstrated to played significant roles on predicting prognosis of patients with tumors. An appropriate and comprehensive miRNAs analysis based on a great deal of pRCC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) will provide perspective in this field. Methods We integrated the expression of mRNAs, miRNAs and the relevant clinical data of 321 pRCC patients recorded in the TCGA database. The survival-related differential expressed miRNAs (sDEmiRs) were estimated by COX regression analysis. The high-risk group and the low-risk group were separated by the median risk score of the risk score model (RSM) based on three screened sDEmiRs. The target genes, underlying molecular mechanisms of these sDEmiRs were explored by computational biology. The expression levels of the three sDEmiRs and their correlations with clinicopathological parameters were further validated by qPCR. Results Based on univariate COX analysis (P < 0.001), eighteen differential expressed miRNAs (DEmiRs) were remarkably related with the overall survival (OS) of pRCC patients. Three sDEmiRs with the most significant prognostic values (miR-34a-5p, miR-410-3p and miR-6720-3p) were employed to establish the RSM which was certified as an independent prognosis factor and closely correlated with OS. In the verification of clinical samples, the overexpression of miR-410-3p and miR-6720-3p were detected to be associated with the advanced T-stages, while miR-34a-5p showed the reversed results. Conclusion The study developed a RSM based on the identified sDEmiRs with significant prognosis prediction values for pRCC patients. The results pave the avenue for establishing and optimizing a reliable and referable risk assessing model and provide novel insight into the researches of biomarkers and clinical treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ge Li
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Road, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000 China
| | - Haifan Yang
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Road, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000 China
| | - Yong Cheng
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Road, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000 China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Road, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000 China
| | - Xu Li
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Road, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000 China
| | - Rui Jiang
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Road, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000 China
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Circulating Tumour DNAs and Non-Coding RNAs as Liquid Biopsies for the Management of Colorectal Cancer Patients. GASTROINTESTINAL DISORDERS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/gidisord2030022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Circulating tumour DNAs and non-coding RNAs present in body fluids have been under investigation as tools for cancer diagnosis, disease monitoring, and prognosis for many years. These so-called liquid biopsies offer the opportunity to obtain information about the molecular make-up of a cancer in a minimal invasive way and offer the possibility to implement theranostics for precision oncology. Furthermore, liquid biopsies could overcome the limitations of tissue biopsies in capturing the complexity of tumour heterogeneity within the primary cancer and among different metastatic sites. Liquid biopsies may also be implemented to detect early tumour formation or to monitor cancer relapse of response to therapy with greater sensitivity compared with the currently available protein-based blood biomarkers. Most colorectal cancers are often diagnosed at late stages and have a high mortality rate. Hence, biomolecules as nucleic acids present in liquid biopsies might have prognostic potential and could serve as predictive biomarkers for chemotherapeutic regimens. This review will focus on the role of circulating tumour DNAs and non-coding RNAs as diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers in the context of colorectal cancer.
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Wu C, Zhang J, Li H, Xu W, Zhang X. The potential of liquid biopsies in gastrointestinal cancer. Clin Biochem 2020; 84:1-12. [PMID: 32540214 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2020.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liquid biopsy is a novel approach for cancer diagnosis, the value of which in human gastrointestinal (GI) cancer has been confirmed by the previous studies. This article summarized the recent advances in liquid biopsy with a focus on novel technologies and the use of it in the screening, monitoring, and treatment of human GI cancer. CONTENT The concept of liquid biopsy was first used to define the detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in cancer patients, and has been expanded to other biomarkers in blood and body fluids, such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), extracellular vesicles (EVs) and circulating tumor RNA. If analyzed with proper and advanced techniques like next generation sequencing (NGS) or proteomics, liquid biopsies can open an enormous array of potential biomarkers. The amount changes of target biomarkers and the mutation of genetic materials provide quantitative and qualitative information, which can be utilized clinically for cancer diagnosis and disease monitoring. SUMMARY As a highly efficient, minimally invasive, and cost-effective approach to diagnose and evaluate prognosis of GI cancer, liquid biopsy has lots of advantages over traditional biopsy and is promising in future clinical utility. If the challenges are overcome in the near future, liquid biopsy will become a widely available and dependable option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxi Wu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Jiayin Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Haibo Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu 226000, China
| | - Wenrong Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China.
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The diagnostic and prognostic value of exosome-derived long non-coding RNAs in cancer patients: a meta-analysis. Clin Exp Med 2020; 20:339-348. [DOI: 10.1007/s10238-020-00638-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Ghafouri-Fard S, Dashti S, Taheri M. The HOTTIP (HOXA transcript at the distal tip) lncRNA: Review of oncogenic roles in human. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 127:110158. [PMID: 32335298 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
HOXA transcript at the distal tip (HOTTIP) is a 3764 nucleotide long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) encoded from a genomic region in the 5' tip of the HOXA locus. This lncRNA has a role in transmission of signals from higher order chromosomal configuration into chromatin codes. HOTTIP directly binds with the WDR5 protein and recruits the WDR5/MLL complexes across the HOXA locus which leads to H3K4 methylation and activation of the transcription of HOXA genes. This lncRNA has a prominent role in the pathogenesis of almost all kinds of cancers. Apart from a single study in glioma cells, all in vitro studies have emphasized on oncogenic roles of HOTTIP in different malignancies. In vivo studies also showed the effect of HOTTIP silencing in reduction of tumorigenicity in all cancer types except from glioma. Results of clinical studies mostly demonstrated up-regulation of this lncRNA in cancer samples compared with non-malignant tissues of the same origin and correlation between its expression levels and patients' outcome. Taken together, HOTTIP is regarded as an oncogenic lncRNA in almost all kinds of cancers and a putative biomarker and therapeutic target in human malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soudeh Ghafouri-Fard
- Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sepideh Dashti
- Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Taheri
- Urogenital Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Dragomir MP, Kopetz S, Ajani JA, Calin GA. Non-coding RNAs in GI cancers: from cancer hallmarks to clinical utility. Gut 2020; 69:748-763. [PMID: 32034004 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2019-318279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
One of the most unexpected discoveries in molecular oncology, in the last decades, was the identification of a new layer of protein coding gene regulation by transcripts that do not codify for proteins, the non-coding RNAs. These represent a heterogeneous category of transcripts that interact with many types of genetic elements, including regulatory DNAs, coding and other non-coding transcripts and directly to proteins. The final outcome, in the malignant context, is the regulation of any of the cancer hallmarks. Non-coding RNAs represent the most abundant type of hormones that contribute significantly to cell-to cell communication, revealing a complex interplay between tumour cells, tumour microenvironment cells and immune cells. Consequently, profiling their abundance in bodily fluids became a mainstream of biomarker identification. Therapeutic targeting of non-coding RNAs represents a new option for clinicians that is currently under development. This review will present the biology and translational value of three of the most studied categories on non-coding RNAs, the microRNAs, the long non-coding RNAs and the circular RNAs. We will also focus on some aspirational concepts that can help in the development of clinical applications related to non-coding RNAs, including using pyknons to discover new non-coding RNAs, targeting human-specific transcripts which are expressed specifically in the tumour cell and using non-coding RNAs to increase the efficiency of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihnea Paul Dragomir
- Experimental Therapeutics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Scott Kopetz
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jaffer A Ajani
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - George Adrian Calin
- Experimental Therapeutics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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Baassiri A, Nassar F, Mukherji D, Shamseddine A, Nasr R, Temraz S. Exosomal Non Coding RNA in LIQUID Biopsies as a Promising Biomarker for Colorectal Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21041398. [PMID: 32092975 PMCID: PMC7073025 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21041398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, with a high mortality rate, especially in those that are diagnosed in late stages of the disease. The current screening blood-based markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), have low sensitivity and specificity. Meanwhile, other modalities are either expensive or invasive. Therefore, recent research has shifted towards a minimally invasive test, namely, liquid biopsy. Exosomes are favorable molecules sought in blood samples, since they are abundant, stable in circulation, and harbor genetic information and other biomolecules that could serve as biomarkers or even therapeutic targets. Furthermore, exosomal noncoding RNAs, such as miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, have demonstrated the diagnostic potential to detect CRC at an early stage with a higher sensitivity and specificity than CEA and CA19-9 alone. Moreover, they have prognostic potential that is TNM stage specific and could serve as predictive biomarkers for the most common chemotherapeutic drug and combination regimen in CRC, which are 5-FU and FOLFOX, respectively. Therefore, in this review, we focus on the role of these exosomal noncoding RNAs as diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers. In addition, we discuss the advantages and challenges of exosomes as a liquid biopsy target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amro Baassiri
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107, Lebanon;
| | - Farah Nassar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology/Oncology division, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107, Lebanon; (F.N.); (D.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Deborah Mukherji
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology/Oncology division, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107, Lebanon; (F.N.); (D.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Ali Shamseddine
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology/Oncology division, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107, Lebanon; (F.N.); (D.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Rihab Nasr
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107, Lebanon;
- Correspondence: (R.N.); (S.T.); Tel.: +96-1135-000 (ext. 4812) (R.N.); +96-1137-4374 (S.T.)
| | - Sally Temraz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology/Oncology division, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107, Lebanon; (F.N.); (D.M.); (A.S.)
- Correspondence: (R.N.); (S.T.); Tel.: +96-1135-000 (ext. 4812) (R.N.); +96-1137-4374 (S.T.)
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Long noncoding RNA RHPN1-AS1 promotes colorectal cancer progression via targeting miR-7-5p/OGT axis. Cancer Cell Int 2020; 20:54. [PMID: 32099527 PMCID: PMC7029493 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-020-1110-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Rhophilin Rho GTPase binding protein 1 antisense RNA 1 (RHPN1-AS1) is a newly discovered oncogene in several diseases, such as breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and uveal melanoma. Nevertheless, its molecular role in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unknown. This paper explored the role of RHPN1-AS1 in CRC progression. Methods qRT-PCR was used to detect relevant RNAs expression. CCK-8, EdU, flow cytometry, Transwell and western blot assays were performed to investigate the function of RHPN1-AS1 in CRC cells. Xenograft model was constructed to evaluate the effects of RHPN1-AS1 on tumor growth in vivo. Mechanical experiments were performed to investigate the relationship between relative genes. Results RHPN1-AS1 was significantly overexpressed in CRC cell lines. Knockdown of RHPN1-AS1 could inhibit cell proliferation, while stimulating cell apoptosis in vitro. Cell migration and invasion abilities were greatly suppressed after silencing RHPN1-AS1. Besides, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) served as transcription factor of RHPN1-AS1. Moreover, miR-7-5p was identified as a target of RHPN1-AS1 and was negatively regulated by RHPN1-AS1 in CRC. MiR-7-5p inhibition rescued the oncogenic function of RHPN1-AS1. Additionally, O-GlcNAcylation transferase (OGT) was the downstream target of miR-7-5p. OGT overexpression could abrogate the anti-tumor effects of RHPN1-AS1 knockdown on CRC. Conclusion RHPN1-AS1 regulates CRC by mediating OGT through sponging miR-7-5p, suggesting that RHPN1-AS1 might be a potential therapeutic target for CRC.
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The role of exosomes in colorectal cancer disease progression and response to therapy. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2020; 51:84-91. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2019.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Begolli R, Sideris N, Giakountis A. LncRNAs as Chromatin Regulators in Cancer: From Molecular Function to Clinical Potential. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:E1524. [PMID: 31658672 PMCID: PMC6826483 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11101524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
During the last decade, high-throughput sequencing efforts in the fields of transcriptomics and epigenomics have shed light on the noncoding part of the transcriptome and its potential role in human disease. Regulatory noncoding RNAs are broadly divided into short and long noncoding transcripts. The latter, also known as lncRNAs, are defined as transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides with low or no protein-coding potential. LncRNAs form a diverse group of transcripts that regulate vital cellular functions through interactions with proteins, chromatin, and even RNA itself. Notably, an important regulatory aspect of these RNA species is their association with the epigenetic machinery and the recruitment of its regulatory apparatus to specific loci, resulting in DNA methylation and/or post-translational modifications of histones. Such epigenetic modifications play a pivotal role in maintaining the active or inactive transcriptional state of chromatin and are crucial regulators of normal cellular development and tissue-specific gene expression. Evidently, aberrant expression of lncRNAs that interact with epigenetic modifiers can cause severe epigenetic disruption and is thus is closely associated with altered gene function, cellular dysregulation, and malignant transformation. Here, we survey the latest breakthroughs concerning the role of lncRNAs interacting with the epigenetic machinery in various forms of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodiola Begolli
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41500 Larissa, Greece.
| | - Nikos Sideris
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41500 Larissa, Greece.
| | - Antonis Giakountis
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41500 Larissa, Greece.
- B.S.R.C "Alexander Fleming", 34 Fleming str, 16672 Vari, Greece.
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