Non-coding RNA (ncRNA) in Cancer 2.0

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last three decades, researchers have discovered multiple types of RNA, including non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that are in general not involved in the production of proteins. ncRNAs include small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs), guide RNAs (gRNAs), RNaseP RNAs, transfer RNAs (tRNAs), ribosome RNAs (rRNAs), transfer messenger RNAs (tmRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), piwi interaction RNAs (piRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and Y RNA (YRNA).

ncRNAs constitute almost 60% of the transcriptome of human cells, and are involved in the regulation of cellular processes and pathways in health and disease. The field of non-coding RNA research in cancer started in 2002, only two years after the discovery of the first human miRNA (let-7). In patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia, two miRNA genes, mir-15a and mir-16-1, were identified within chromosomal region 13q14. Both miRNAs were either deleted or downregulated, suggesting their potential role as tumor suppressors. Since then, the ncRNA research field has grown exponentially. More recently, two classes of ncRNAs, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), defined by RNA transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides, and circular RNA (circRNA), defined as endogenous ncRNA that has a non-polyadenylated, closed, single-stranded, and continuous loop structure, have been shown to have a functional role in cancer.

Novel RNA sequencing technologies and bioinformatics approaches have revealed not only novel types of ncRNAs but also elucidated the role of many ncRNAs in carcinogenesis. Usually, different ncRNAs interact with each other and form a highly complex regulatory network that controls important cellular programs. Disturbances to these programs lead to widespread changes in the fate of cells and contribute to development of cancer. A vast amount of data on ncRNAs has been generated, collected, and organized using computational approaches.

In this Special Issue, we will cover recent advances in any of the roles of ncRNA in cancer, such as function, mechanism of action, mode of interaction, as well as clinical studies. We welcome contributions in the form of original research articles and reviews.

Prof. Dr. Damjan Glavač
Prof. Dr. Metka Ravnik-Glavač
Guest Editors

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• non-coding RNA (ncRNA)
• cancer
• oncogenes
• tumor suppressor genes
• microRNA
• lncRNA
• circRNA
• cancer biomarkers