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Review
. 2017 Aug 28;23(32):5860-5874.
doi: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i32.5860.

Long non-coding RNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma: Potential roles and clinical implications

Zhao-Shan Niu  1 , Xiao-Jun Niu  2 , Wen-Hong Wang  3
Affiliations
Review

Long non-coding RNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma: Potential roles and clinical implications

Zhao-Shan Niu et al. World J Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a subgroup of non-coding RNA transcripts greater than 200 nucleotides in length with little or no protein-coding potential. Emerging evidence indicates that lncRNAs may play important regulatory roles in the pathogenesis and progression of human cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Certain lncRNAs may be used as diagnostic or prognostic markers for HCC, a serious malignancy with increasing morbidity and high mortality rates worldwide. Therefore, elucidating the functional roles of lncRNAs in tumors can contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of HCC and may help in developing novel therapeutic targets. In this review, we summarize the recent progress regarding the functional roles of lncRNAs in HCC and explore their clinical implications as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers and molecular therapeutic targets for HCC.

Keywords: Biomarker; Function; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Long non-coding RNAs; Therapeutic target.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The regulatory mechanisms of long non-coding RNAs. LncRNAs: Long non-coding RNAs; RNA PII: RNA polymerase II; ceRNAs: Competing endogenous RNAs; mRNA: Messenger RNA; miRNAs: MicroRNAs.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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