Title:Crosstalk of Long Non-coding RNAs and EMT: Searching the Missing Pieces of an Incomplete Puzzle for Lung Cancer Therapy
Volume: 21
Issue: 8
Author(s): Milad Ashrafizadeh, Md Shahinozzaman, Sima Orouei, Vahideh Zarrin, Kiavash Hushmandi, Farid Hashemi, Anuj Kumar, Saeed Samarghandian, Masoud Najafi*Ali Zarrabi*
Affiliation:
- Medical Technology Research Center, Institute of Health Technology, Kermanashah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah 6715847141,Iran
- Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), Tuzla, 34956, Istanbul,Turkey
Keywords:
Lung cancer, long non-coding RNA, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, cancer therapy, microRNA,
cadherin.
Abstract:
Background: Lung cancer has the first place among cancer-related deaths worldwide
and demands novel strategies in the treatment of this life-threatening disorder. The aim of this review
is to explore the regulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by long non-coding
RNAs (lncRNAs) in lung cancer.
Introduction: LncRNAs can be considered as potential factors for targeting in cancer therapy,
since they regulate a bunch of biological processes, e.g. cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis.
The abnormal expression of lncRNAs occurs in different cancer cells. On the other hand,
epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical mechanism participating in migration and
metastasis of cancer cells.
Methods: Different databases, including Google Scholar, Pubmed and Science direct, were
searched for collecting articles using keywords such as “LncRNA”, “EMT”, and “Lung cancer”.
Results: There are tumor-suppressing lncRNAs that can suppress EMT and metastasis of lung cancer
cells. Expression of such lncRNAs undergoes down-regulation in lung cancer progression and
restoring their expression is of importance in suppressing lung cancer migration. There are tumor-
promoting lncRNAs triggering EMT in lung cancer and enhancing their migration.
Conclusion: LncRNAs are potential regulators of EMT in lung cancer, and targeting them, both
pharmacologically and genetically, can be of importance in controlling the migration of lung cancer
cells.