Long Non-coding RNA CBR3 Antisense RNA 1 is Downregulated in Colorectal Cancer and Inhibits miR-29a-Mediated Cell Migration and Invasion

The functions and mechanisms of long non-coding RNA in colorectal cancer

CRC poses a significant challenge in the global health domain, with a high number of deaths attributed to this disease annually. If CRC is detected only in its advanced stages, the difficulty of treatment increases significantly. Therefore, biomarkers for the early detection of CRC play a crucial role in improving patient outcomes and increasing survival rates. The development of a reliable biomarker for early detection of CRC is particularly important for timely diagnosis and treatment. However, current methods for CRC detection, such as endoscopic examination, blood, and stool tests, have certain limitations and often only detect cases in the late stages. To overcome these constraints, researchers have turned their attention to molecular biomarkers, which are considered a promising approach to improving CRC detection. Non-invasive methods using biomarkers such as mRNA, circulating cell-free DNA, microRNA, LncRNA, and proteins can provide more reliable diagnostic information. These biomarkers can be found in blood, tissue, stool, and volatile organic compounds. Identifying molecular biomarkers with high sensitivity and specificity for the early and safe, economic, and easily measurable detection of CRC remains a significant challenge for researchers.

Bioinformatic and experimental methods to identify and validate bacterial RNA-human RNA interactions

Ample evidence supports the importance of the microbiota on human health and disease. Recent studies suggest that extracellular vesicles are an important means of bacterial-host communication, in part via the transport of small RNAs (sRNAs). Bacterial sRNAs have been shown to co-precipitate with human and mouse RNA-induced silencing complex, hinting that some may regulate gene expression as eukaryotic microRNAs do. Bioinformatic tools, including those that can incorporate an sRNA's secondary structure, can be used to predict interactions between bacterial sRNAs and human messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Validation of these potential interactions using reproducible experimental methods is essential to move the field forward. This review will cover the evidence of interspecies communication via sRNAs, bioinformatic tools currently available to identify potential bacterial sRNA-host (specifically, human) mRNA interactions, and experimental methods to identify and validate those interactions.