Title:Non-coding RNA-Encoded Peptides/Proteins in Human Cancer: The
Future for Cancer Therapy
Volume: 29
Issue: 22
Author(s): Seyedeh Zahra Bakhti and Saeid Latifi-Navid*
Affiliation:
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, 56199-11367 Iran
Keywords:
Cancer, micropeptides, microproteins, NcRNAs, LncRNAs, CircRNAs, MiRNAs.
Abstract: Although non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) were initially thought to be a class of
RNA transcripts with no encoding capability, it has been established that some ncRNAs
actually contain open reading frames (ORFs), which can be translated into micropeptides
or microproteins. Recent studies have reported that ncRNAs-derived micropeptides/
microproteins have regulatory functions on various biological and oncological processes.
Some of these micropeptides/microproteins act as tumor inhibitors and some as
tumor inducers. Understanding the carcinogenic role of ncRNAs-encoded micropeptides/
microproteins seems to pose potential challenges to cancer research and offer promising
practical perspectives on cancer treatment. In this review, we summarized the present
information on the association of ncRNAs-derived micropeptides/microproteins with
different types of human cancers. We also mentioned their carcinogenic mechanisms in
cancer metabolism, signaling pathways, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and
so on. Finally, we discussed the potential clinical value of these micropeptides/ microproteins
and their potential use in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. This information
may help discover, optimize, and develop new tools based on biological micropeptides/
microproteins for the early diagnosis and development of anticancer drugs.