Long Non-Coding RNA Signature in Cervical Cancer

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer as a common urogenital cancer among women has caused significant health problems. Efforts have been made to identify its pathogenic process in order to find targeted ther-apies. Long non-cod-ing ribonucleic acids (lncRNAs) have been shown to regulate several cancer-related pathways and genes that contribute to pathogenesis of human malignancies, includ-ing cervical cancer. In the present review, we searched PubMed, Google scholar, Web of Science and Scopus databases for key words "cervical cancer" or "cervical neoplasm" and "long non-cod-ing RNA" or "lncRNA" (up to December 2017). AIM: To elaborate the role of lncRNAs in cervical cancer. CONCLUSIONS: LncRNAs affect cervical cancer pathogenesis through numerous mechanisms, such as mak-ing scaffolds for assembly of protein complexes, serv-ing as directors to recruit proteins, function-ing as transcriptional enhancers through chromatin remodeling, serv-ing as decoys to free up proteins from chromatin, or revers-ing the effects of other regulatory non-cod-ing RNAs, such as microRNAs. Pathway-based analysis showed that several lncRNAs modulate PI3K/ Akt/ mTOR, Wnt-β catenin and Notch pathways in the process of cervical cancer pathogenesis. In addition, expression of a handful of lncRNAs has been associated with human papilloma virus infection. Identification of lncRNAs that alter cancer-related signal-ing pathways and subsequent expression analysis of these lncRNAs in patients samples would help to design effective targeted ther-apies. Key words: lncRNA -  cervical cancer - oncogene - tumor suppressor gene.