thereby modulate locus-specific chromatin marks as well as arrange the threedimensional configurations of entire chromosomes. They may also serve as focal
points of microRNA (miRNA) regulatory networks through direct RNA-RNA
contacts with miRNAs, shaping miRNA network activities through an “RNA
language” yet to be deciphered. In this review, we provide a brief overview of
how lncRNAs influence these molecular processes. We also outline a cancer
epigenetic perspective on how lncRNAs can help or hinder the development of
different types of cancer, how they may be exploited to predict patient prognosis
and, most interestingly, how they affect tumour responses to current therapeutic
interventions. Finally, we describe recent works that have made substantial progress
in bringing to fruition the prospect of therapeutically targeting lncRNAs to correct
epigenetic aberrations in human diseases, especially in cancer.
Keywords Cancer, Chromatin modification, Epigenetic therapy, Epigenetics,
Long non-coding RNA, RNA therapy
Abbreviations
ALDH1A1 Aldehyde dehydrogenase
ASO
Antisense oligonucleotide
BDNF
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor
BTBB
Blood-tumour-brain barrier
CDDP
Cisplatin
ceRNA
Competing endogenous RNA
CLL
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
CSC
Cancer stem cell
DDR
DNA damage response
DDS
Drug delivery system
DNMT
DNA methyltransferase
eRNA
Enhancer RNA
FRDA
Friedreich’s ataxia
FXN
Frataxin
GBM
Glioblastoma multiforme
GSC
Glioblastoma stem cells
HAT
Histone acetyltransferase
HDAC
Histone deacetylase
HMT
Histone methyltransferase
hnRNP
Heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein particle
IL
Interleukin
KLF2
Krüppel-like factor 2
lincRNA
Long intergenic non-coding RNA
lncRNA
Long non-coding RNA
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D. Hanly et al.