Epigenetic regulation of gastrointestinal cancers mediated by long non-coding RNAs

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Akbari, Abolfazl^{a; b} | Abbasi, Somayeh^c | Borumandnia, Nasrin^d | Eshkiki, Zahra Shokati^e | Sedaghat, Meghdad^f | Tabaeian, Seidamir Pasha^{a; g} | Kashani, Amirhossein Faghihi^{a; *} | Talebi, Atefeh^{a; *}

Affiliations: [a] Colorectal Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran | [b] Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran | [c] Department of Mathematics, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran | [d] Urology and Nephrology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran | [e] Alimentary Tract Research Center, Clinical Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran | [f] Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran | [g] Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding authors: Atefeh Talebi and Amirhossein Faghihi Kashani, Colorectal Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Tel.: +98 2166554790; E-mails: a_talebi5855@yahoo.com (A. Talebi) and ahfaghihi@yahoo.com (A. Faghihi Kashani).

Abstract: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), as well-known modulator of the epigenetic processes, have been shown to contribute to normal cellular physiological and pathological conditions such as cancer. Through the interaction with epigenetic regulators, an aberrant regulation of gene expression can be resulted due to their dysregulation, which in turn, can be involved in tumorigenesis. In the present study, we reviewed the lncRNAs’ function and mechanisms that contributed to aberrant epigenetic regulation, which is directly related to gastrointestinal cancer (GI) development and progression. Findings indicated that epigenetic alterations may involve in tumorigenesis and are valuable biomarkers in case of diagnosing, assessing of risk factors, and predicting of GI cancers. This review summarized the accumulated evidence for biological and clinical application to use lncRNAs in GI cancers, including colorectal, gastric, oral, liver, pancreatic and oesophageal cancer.

Keywords: Chemoresistance, epigenetic, gastrointestinal cancer, long non-coding RNA, metastasis

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-220142

Journal: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 359-377, 2022