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Review
. 2015 Apr 23:6:145.
doi: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00145. eCollection 2015.

Long noncoding RNAs: a potential novel class of cancer biomarkers

Aliaksandr A Yarmishyn  1 , Igor V Kurochkin  1
Affiliations
Review

Long noncoding RNAs: a potential novel class of cancer biomarkers

Aliaksandr A Yarmishyn et al. Front Genet. .

Abstract

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a novel class of RNA molecules defined as transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides that lack protein coding potential. They constitute a major, but still poorly characterized part of human transcriptome, however, evidence is growing that they are important regulatory molecules involved in various cellular processes. It is becoming increasingly clear that many lncRNAs are deregulated in cancer and some of them can be important drivers of malignant transformation. On the one hand, some lncRNAs can have highly specific expression in particular types of cancer making them a promising tool for diagnosis. The expression of other lncRNAs can correlate with different pathophysiological features of tumor growth and with patient survival, thus making them convenient biomarkers for prognosis. In this review we outline the current state of knowledge about the fast growing field of application of lncRNAs as tumor biomarkers.

Keywords: biomarkers; cancer; long noncoding RNA.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Model of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) regulating expression of HOX genes in trans. LncRNA HOTAIR transcribed from the HOXC cluster of genes (chr. 2) binds PRC2 complex of polycomb-group of proteins and targets it to the HOXD cluster (chr. 12) leading to H3K27 methylation and silencing of neighboring HOXD genes. This figure is adapted from Rinn et al., 2007.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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