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The emerging role of lncRNAs in the regulation of cancer stem cells. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2018; 41:585-603. [PMID: 30218296 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-018-0406-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumors contain a functional subpopulation of cells that exhibit stem cell properties. These cells, named cancer stem cells (CSCs), play significant roles in the initiation and progression of cancer. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can act at the transcriptional, posttranscriptional and translational level. As such, they may be involved in various biological processes such as DNA damage repair, inflammation, metabolism, cell survival, cell signaling, cell growth and differentiation. Accumulating evidence indicates that lncRNAs are key regulators of the CSC subpopulation, thereby contributing to cancer progression. The aim of this review is to overview current knowledge about the functional role and the mechanisms of action of lncRNAs in the initiation, maintenance and regulation of CSCs derived from different neoplasms. These lncRNAs include CTCF7, ROR, DILC, HOTAIR, H19, HOTTIP, ATB, HIF2PUT, SOX2OT, MALAT-1, CUDR, Lnc34a, Linc00617, DYNC2H1-4, PVT1, SOX4 and ARSR Uc.283-plus. Furthermore, we will illustrate how lncRNAs may regulate asymmetric CSC division and contribute to self-renewal, drug resistance and EMT, thus affecting the metastasis and recurrence of different cancers. In addition, we will highlight the implications of targeting lncRNAs to improve the efficacy of conventional drug therapies and to hamper CSC survival and proliferation. CONCLUSIONS lncRNAs are valuable tools in the search for new targets to selectively eliminate CSCs and improve clinical outcomes. LncRNAs may serve as excellent therapeutic targets because they are stable, easily detectable and expressed in tissue-specific contexts.
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Zhao X, Sun B, Liu T, Shao B, Sun R, Zhu D, Zhang Y, Gu Q, Dong X, Liu F, Zhao N, Zhang D, Li Y, Meng J, Gong W, Zheng Y, Zheng X. Long noncoding RNA n339260 promotes vasculogenic mimicry and cancer stem cell development in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Sci 2018; 109:3197-3208. [PMID: 30022558 PMCID: PMC6172069 DOI: 10.1111/cas.13740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) refers to the unique capability of aggressive tumor cells to mimic the pattern of embryonic vasculogenic networks. Cancer stem cells (CSC) represent a subpopulation of tumor cells endowed with the capacity for self‐renewal and multilineage differentiation. Previous studies have indicated that CSC may participate in the formation of VM. With the advance of high‐resolution microarrays and massively parallel sequencing technology, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are suggested to play a critical role in tumorigenesis and, in particular, the development of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Currently, no definitive relationship between lncRNA and VM formation has been described. In the current study, we demonstrated that expression of the lncRNA, n339260, is associated with CSC phenotype in HCC, and n339260 level correlated with VM, metastasis, and shorter survival time in an animal model. Overexpression of n339260 in HepG2 cells was associated with a significant increase in CSC. Additionally, the appearance of VM and vascular endothelial (VE)‐cadherin, a molecular marker of VM, was also induced by n339260 overexpression. Using a short hairpin RNA approach, n339260 was silenced in tumor cells, and knockdown of n339260 was associated with reduced VM and CSC. The results of this study indicate that n339260 promotes VM, possibly by the development of CSC. The related molecular pathways may be used as novel therapeutic targets for the inhibition of HCC angiogenesis and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiulan Zhao
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Baocun Sun
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Pathology, Tianjin Cancer Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Tieju Liu
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Bing Shao
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ran Sun
- Tianjin Nankai Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Dongwang Zhu
- Stomatology Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yanhui Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Cancer Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Qiang Gu
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xueyi Dong
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Nan Zhao
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Danfang Zhang
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yanlei Li
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jie Meng
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Wenchen Gong
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yanjun Zheng
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xu Zheng
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
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