Title:MicroRNAs and Long Non-coding RNAs as Novel Targets in Anti-cancer
Drug Development
Volume: 24
Issue: 7
Author(s): Melisa Çetinkaya and Yusuf Baran*
Affiliation:
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, İzmir Institute of Technology, Urla, İzmir, Turkey
Keywords:
miRNA-based cancer therapeutics, miRNA mimics, antagomiRs, MRX34, lncRNA-based cancer therapeutics, drug delivery strategies.
Abstract: Non-coding RNAs comprise the majority of RNAs that have been transcribed from the
human genome, and these non-coding RNAs have essential regulatory roles in the cellular processes.
They have been discovered to influence the expression of the genes, including tumorsuppressive
and oncogenes, that establish the non-coding RNAs as novel targets for anti-cancer
drug development. Among non-coding RNAs, microRNAs have been extensively studied in terms
of cancer biology, and some microRNA-based therapeutics have been reached in clinical studies.
Even though most of the research regarding targeting non-coding RNAs for anti-cancer drug development
focused on microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs have also started to gain importance as
potential therapeutic targets for cancer therapy. In this chapter, the strategies and importance of
targeting microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs will be described, along with the clinical studies
that involve microRNA-based cancer therapeutics and preclinical studies that involve long noncoding
RNA-based therapeutics. Finally, the delivery strategies that have great importance in the
effective delivery of the non-coding RNA-based cancer therapeutics, hence the therapy's effectiveness,
will be described.