Long non-coding RNA PRR7-AS1 promotes osteosarcoma progression via binding RNF2 to transcriptionally suppress MTUS1

In addition to mutations or aberrant expression in the protein-coding genes, mutations and misregulation of noncoding RNAs, in particular long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA), appear to play major roles in cancer. Genome-wide association studies of tumor samples have identified a large number of lncRNAs associated with various types of cancer. Alterations in lncRNA expression and their mutations promote tumorigenesis and metastasis. LncRNAs may exhibit tumor-suppressive and -promoting (oncogenic) functions. Because of their genome-wide expression patterns in a variety of tissues and their tissue-specific expression characteristics, lncRNAs hold strong promise as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cancer. In this article, we have reviewed the emerging functions and association of lncRNAs in different types of cancer and discussed their potential implications in cancer diagnosis and therapy. Cancer Res; 77(15); 3965-81. ©2017 AACR.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a diverse class of RNAs that engage in numerous biological processes across every branch of life. Although initially discovered as mRNA-like transcripts that do not encode proteins, recent studies have revealed features of lncRNAs that further distinguish them from mRNAs. In this Review, we describe special events in the lifetimes of lncRNAs - before, during and after transcription - and discuss how these events ultimately shape the unique characteristics and functional roles of lncRNAs.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are an important class of pervasive genes involved in a variety of biological functions. Here we discuss the emerging archetypes of molecular functions that lncRNAs execute-as signals, decoys, guides, and scaffolds. For each archetype, examples from several disparate biological contexts illustrate the commonality of the molecular mechanisms, and these mechanistic views provide useful explanations and predictions of biological outcomes. These archetypes of lncRNA function may be a useful framework to consider how lncRNAs acquire properties as biological signal transducers and hint at their possible origins in evolution. As new lncRNAs are being discovered at a rapid pace, the molecular mechanisms of lncRNAs are likely to be enriched and diversified. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.