MALAT1: A long non-coding RNA highly associated with human cancers

Abstract

Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1), a well-known lncRNA associated with numerous diseases, particularly cancer, has received increased attention. The expression of MALAT1 was determined to be upregulated in numerous types of tumors and MALAT1 exhibited effects on tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis. The abnormal expression of MALAT1 was identified in almost in every organ of the digestive system. MALAT1 performed an important role in the pathological alterations of organs that are associated with sex hormones and several reproductive system cancers. MALAT1 participates in molecular pathways. In the clinical application of MALAT1, MALAT1 was considered as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and prediction of cancers, and may also serve as therapeutic target for treatment of specific tumors. This review summarizes the abnormal expression of MALAT1 in cancer, its significant effect on the primary features of cancer, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms of MALAT1 in various cancers. According to studies on MALAT1, we introduce the upstream and downstream substances associated with the function of MALAT1. These reviewed studies promote the clinical application of MALAT1 in the aspect of diagnosis and treatment of different cancers, and may help point out new study directions for MALAT1.

Keywords: cancer; clinical application; long non-coding RNA; metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1; molecular mechanism.

Figure 1.

Literature about MALAT1. Articles were searched on PubMed, limited to ‘between 2003 and December 2014’.

Figure 2.

Genes, proteins or miRNAs associated with MALAT1. The upstream regulators during the transcriptional and posttranscriptional procession and the downstream genes modulated by MALAT1 are exhibited. In addition, reciprocal interaction and other associations between MALAT1 and other genes, proteins or miRNAs are shown. MALAT1, metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1; SOX17, sex-determining region-Y-box 17; SRSF1, serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 1; YAP, yes-associated protein 1; Bcl-2, B-cell lymphoma-2; miR/miRNA, microRNA; ABCA1, ATP-binding cassette transporter member 1; ROBO1, roundabout guidance receptor 1; GPC6, glupican 6; CDCP1, CUB domain-containing protein 1; LPHN2, latrophilin-2, a cell-adhesion G protein-coupled receptor and presumptive α-latrotoxin receptor; MIA2, melanoma inhibitory activity 2; LTBP3, latent transforming growth factor β-binding protein 3; PTBP2, polypyrimidine tract binding protein 2; SFPQ, splicing factor proline-glutamine rich; suz12, suz12 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit; Ezh2, enhancer of zeste homolog 2; Bax, Bcl-2-associated X protein; Bcl-xl, B-cell lymphoma-extra-large; TDP43, TAR DNA-binding protein 43; lncRNA, long non-coding RNA; AKAP-9, A-kinase anchor protein-9.