Noncoding RNAs as potential mediators of resistance to cancer immunotherapy

Abstract

Substantial evolution in cancer therapy has been witnessed lately, steering mainly towards immunotherapeutic approaches, replacing or in combination with classical therapies. Whereas the use of various immunotherapy approaches, such as adoptive T cell therapy, genetically-modified T cells, or immune checkpoint inhibitors, has been a triumph for cancer immunotherapy, the great challenge is the ability of the immune system to sustain long lasting anti-tumor response. Additionally, epigenetic changes in a suppressive tumor microenvironment can pertain to T cell exhaustion, limiting their functionality. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have emerged over the last years as key players in epigenetic regulation. Among those, microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been studied extensively for their potential role in regulating tumor immunity through direct regulation of genes involved in immune activation or suppression. In this review, we will provide an overview of contemporary approaches for cancer immunotherapy and will present the current state of knowledge implicating miRNAs and lncRNAs in regulating immune response against human cancer and their potential implications in resistance to cancer immunotherapy, with main emphasis on immune checkpoints regulation.