• LncRNAs as clinical treatment opportunities for breast cancer
  • Ava Hadji Maleki,1,*
    1. Department of Biology, Roudehen Branch, Islamic Azad University, Roudehen, Iran.


  • Introduction: Breast cancer is among the most common types of cancer, especially in women all around the world. It's estimated that in 2022, breast cancer represented approximately 30% of all new cancer diagnoses among women globally and remains the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Early diagnosis and identification of new treatments for this disease are important goals. Breast cancer develops silently, usually without early symptoms. Breast cancer is treated with a combination of methods, depending on the type and progression of the cancer. Treatments can include hormone therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapies for specific markers like HER2, and Immunotherapy. Many problems with these methods of treatment exist, including drug resistance, side effects, lack of efficacy in all patients, and lack of biomarkers. Each stage of cancer progression is regulated by changes in gene expression, with long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) playing an important role in this regulation. Additionally, many studies have specifically examined the role of lncRNAs in many cancer-related processes, like cell growth, programmed cell death (apoptosis), cell migration and invasion, Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal transition (EMT), and even resistance to treatments. Therefore, lncRNAs are being studied as useful diagnostic tools for breast cancer. This study aims to investigate LncRNAs as clinical therapeutic opportunities for breast cancer.
  • Methods: After searching in NCBI, Scopus, Science Direct as well as journals such as International Journal of Medical Science in Clinical Research and Review (IJMSCRR), Cillvica, and Frontiers in Oncology, we focused on exploring LncRNAs as clinical treatment opportunities for breast cancer. We used the keywords “Cancer treatments and lncRNA functions” in combination with “breast cancer,” “lncRNA expression” and “Gene expression regulation” to refine our search. Based on our search objective and topic, the articles reviewed spanned 2010 to 2022.
  • Results: LncRNAs are key to the development of breast cancer and affect tumor growth, metastasis, and even response to treatment. These molecules can change the expression of different genes, which can lead to the development of tumors in various ways. A large number of lncRNAs are involved in metastasis, treatment resistance, and also in tumor progression. Based on their functional role and expression patterns, lncRNAs can be classified as tumor suppressors or oncogenes. LncRNAs have been found to interact and bind with double-stranded DNA regions called TFOs (triplex-forming oligonucleotide sequences). TFOs regulate gene expression in cancer. Recent studies show that lncRNAs play an important role in controlling and regulating the splicing efficiency. LASTR improves splicing by regulating the interaction between SART3 and the U4 and U6 small nuclear ribonucleic proteins (snRNPs). LncRNAs, which are within the extracellular vesicles (EVs), can be transferred from inflammatory cells to tumor cells, where they can reprogram the tumor metabolism. On the other hand, Gene editing technologies like the CRISPR-Cas9 system offer significant chances to develop lncRNA-based therapeutic approaches. CRISPR can silence or reactivate lncRNAs. Various methods are being developed to improve the detection and analysis of lncRNAs in breast cancer samples, such as target enrichment techniques and laser microdissection, which help reduce sample heterogeneity. However, the majority of studies are looking to discover less intrusive approaches by detecting lncRNAs or transcript fragments in bodily fluids such as serum or urine. The mechanism that controls lncRNAs is yet to be understood, and their function in breast cancer is still under research. H19 is the first identified lncRNA in breast cancer. H19 can bind with a critical factor in the G1/S transition of the cell cycle called E2F1; this connection is linked to the progression and proliferation of breast cancer cells to a more aggressive phenotype. A variety of lncRNAs, including SPRY4 intron transcript 1 (SPRY4-IT1), DANCR, PVT1, CCAT1, and KCNQ1OT1, have been shown to positively regulate the proliferation of breast cancer cells.
  • Conclusion: Based on the articles, the critical role of lncRNAs in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer is significant, so it is necessary to investigate their functional mechanisms. Understanding the interactions between different types of lncRNAs can lead to advances in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.
  • Keywords: Biomarkers, Breast Neoplasms, lncRNAs, Treatment, Cell proliferation, Drug Resistance