Are long non-coding RNAs involved in the interaction circuit between estrogen receptor and vitamin D receptor?

Abstract

Breast cancer as a molecularly heterogeneous disorder harbors dysregulation of several signaling pathways. Estrogen receptor (ER) and vitamin D receptor (VDR) are tow signaling pathways whose fundamental roles in breast cancer have been documented. The presence of a negative vitamin D response element in the Estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) gene promoter has provided evidences for interactions between ER and VDR signaling pathways. Moreover, recent data indicate that certain long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate expression of ER and VDR. In the present study, we conducted an in silico approach for identification of lncRNAs that might affect these two pathways in opposite manners. Subsequently, we assessed the interaction of these lncRNAs with tumor suppressor/oncogenic miRNAs and transcription factors to highlight their importance in the pathogenesis of cancer. The results of the current study propose certain lncRNAs with regulatory roles on both ER and VDR signaling pathways to assess their expression pattern, functional roles and possible therapeutic application in future experiments.