TY - JOUR
T1 - Emerging role and therapeutic potential of lncrnas in colorectal cancer
AU - Schwarzmueller, Laura
AU - Bril, Oscar
AU - Vermeulen, Louis
AU - Léveillé, Nicolas
PY - 2020/12/1
Y1 - 2020/12/1
N2 - Maintenance of the intestinal epithelium is dependent on the control of stem cell (SC) proliferation and differentiation. The fine regulation of these cellular processes requires a complex dynamic interplay between several signaling pathways, including Wnt, Notch, Hippo, EGF, Ephrin, and BMP/TGF-β. During the initiation and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), key events, such as oncogenic mutations, influence these signaling pathways, and tilt the homeostatic balance towards proliferation and dedifferentiation. Therapeutic strategies to specifically target these deregulated signaling pathways are of particular interest. However, systemic blocking or activation of these pathways poses major risks for normal stem cell function and tissue homeostasis. Interestingly, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have recently emerged as potent regulators of key cellular processes often deregulated in cancer. Because of their exceptional tissue and tumor specificity, these regulatory RNAs represent attractive targets for cancer therapy. Here, we discuss how lncRNAs participate in the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis and how they can contribute to the deregulation of each signaling pathway in CRC. Finally, we describe currently available molecular tools to develop lncRNA-targeted cancer therapies.
AB - Maintenance of the intestinal epithelium is dependent on the control of stem cell (SC) proliferation and differentiation. The fine regulation of these cellular processes requires a complex dynamic interplay between several signaling pathways, including Wnt, Notch, Hippo, EGF, Ephrin, and BMP/TGF-β. During the initiation and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), key events, such as oncogenic mutations, influence these signaling pathways, and tilt the homeostatic balance towards proliferation and dedifferentiation. Therapeutic strategies to specifically target these deregulated signaling pathways are of particular interest. However, systemic blocking or activation of these pathways poses major risks for normal stem cell function and tissue homeostasis. Interestingly, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have recently emerged as potent regulators of key cellular processes often deregulated in cancer. Because of their exceptional tissue and tumor specificity, these regulatory RNAs represent attractive targets for cancer therapy. Here, we discuss how lncRNAs participate in the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis and how they can contribute to the deregulation of each signaling pathway in CRC. Finally, we describe currently available molecular tools to develop lncRNA-targeted cancer therapies.
KW - Colorectal cancer
KW - LncRNAs
KW - RNA-based therapeutics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85098289745&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12123843
DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12123843
M3 - Review article
C2 - 33352769
SN - 2072-6694
VL - 12
SP - 1
EP - 21
JO - Cancers
JF - Cancers
IS - 12
M1 - 3843
ER -