LncRNAs regulate the cytoskeleton and related Rho/ROCK signaling in cancer metastasis

Abstract

Some of the key steps in cancer metastasis are the migration and invasion of tumor cells; these processes require rearrangement of the cytoskeleton. Actin filaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments involved in the formation of cytoskeletal structures, such as stress fibers and pseudopodia, promote the invasion and metastasis of tumor cells. Therefore, it is important to explore the mechanisms underlying cytoskeletal regulation. The ras homolog family (Rho) and Rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein serine/threonine kinase (ROCK) signaling pathway is involved in the regulation of the cytoskeleton. Moreover, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have essential roles in tumor migration and guide gene regulation during cancer progression. LncRNAs can regulate the cytoskeleton directly or may influence the cytoskeleton via Rho/ROCK signaling during tumor migration. In this review, we focus on the regulatory association between lncRNAs and the cytoskeleton and discuss the pathways and mechanisms involved in the regulation of cancer metastasis.