The role of long noncoding RNAs in cancer metastasis

Abstract

Signaling pathways are tightly controlled systems that regulate the appropriate timing of gene expression required for the differentiation of cells down a particular lineage essential for proper tissue development. Proliferation, apoptosis and metabolic pathways are just a few examples of the signaling pathways that require fine-tuning, so as to control the proper development of a particular tissue type or organ system. An estimated 70% of the genome is actively transcribed, only 2% of which codes for known protein-coding genes. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in particular, are a large and diverse class of RNAs > 200 nucleotides in length, and not translated into protein. lncRNAs are essential transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators that control the expression of genes in a spatial, temporal, and cell context-dependent manner. The aberrant expression of lncRNAs is therefore linked with a number of chronic diseases including cardiac dysfunction, diabetes, and cancer. In this review, we highlight the specific role lncRNAs have in promoting the metastatic cascade across a number of epithelial cancer models.