The interplay between long noncoding rnas and proteins of the epigenetic machinery in ovarian cancer

Abstract

Comprehensive large-scale sequencing and bioinformatics analyses have uncovered a myriad of cancer-associated long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Aberrant expression of lncRNAs is associated with epigenetic reprogramming during tumor development and progression, mainly due to their ability to interact with DNA, RNA, or proteins to regulate gene expression. LncRNAs participate in the control of gene expression patterns during development and cell differentiation and can be cell and cancer type specific. In this review, we described the potential of lncRNAs for clinical applications in ovarian cancer (OC). OC is a complex and heterogeneous disease characterized by relapse, chemoresistance, and high mortality rates. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, no significant improvements in long-term survival were observed in OC patients. A set of lncRNAs was associated with survival and response to therapy in this malignancy. We manually curated databases and used bioinformatics tools to identify lncRNAs implicated in the epigenetic regulation, along with examples of direct interactions between the lncRNAs and proteins of the epigenetic machinery in OC. The resources and mechanisms presented herein can improve the understanding of OC biology and provide the basis for further investigations regarding the selection of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets.