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Multifaceted Roles of Long Non-coding RNAs in Head and Neck Cancer

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Reviews on New Drug Targets in Age-Related Disorders

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((PMISB,volume 1286))

Abstract

The majority of RNA transcripts are non-coding RNA (ncRNA) transcripts with lengths exceeding 200 nucleotides that are not translated into protein. Unlike microRNAs (miRNAs), long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) are not confined to a single mechanism of action but have a large and diverse role in biological processes as they can function as transcription regulators, decoys, scaffolds, and enhancer RNAs. Currently, many lncRNA molecules are under investigation for their role in tumorigenesis, metastasis, and prognosis in different types of cancer. This review not only summarizes the characteristics and functions of lncRNAs but also discusses the therapeutic implications and applications of lncRNAs with roles associated with head and neck cancer. Our aim is to pinpoint the potential way to perturb specific lncRNAs for future therapeutic use.

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Abbreviations

BANCR:

BRAF-activated non-coding ribonucleic acid

EMT:

Epithelial-mesenchymal transitions

ERK:

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase

H19:

H19 imprinted maternally expressed transcript

HNC:

Head and neck cancer

HNGA1:

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma glycolysis-associated 1

HNSCC:

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

HOTAIR:

HOX transcript antisense ribonucleic acid

HuR:

Human antigen R

lncRNA:

Long non-coding RNA

MALAT1:

Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1

MAP:

Mitogen-activated protein

MEK:

Mitogen-activated protein kinase

miRNA:

MicroRNA

mRNA:

Messenger RNA

NAMA:

Mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and growth arrest

ncRNA:

Non-coding RNA

NKILA:

NF-κB interacting lncRNA

Raf:

Rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma

rRNA:

Ribosomal RNA

sncRNA:

Small non-coding RNA

tRNA:

Transfer RNA

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by NIH grant (R03DE028387 and R01DE028351), Augusta University CURS Summer Scholars, and the Department of Medicine’s Translational Research Program.

Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oral Biology and Diagnostic Sciences, Dental College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA

    Leslie Duncan & Yong Teng

  2. Department of Biology, College of Science and Mathematics, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA

    Leslie Duncan

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Emory Children’s Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Chloe Shay

  4. Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA

    Yong Teng

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  1. Leslie Duncan
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  2. Chloe Shay
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  3. Yong Teng
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Correspondence to Yong Teng .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Neuroproteomics Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Paul C. Guest

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Duncan, L., Shay, C., Teng, Y. (2021). Multifaceted Roles of Long Non-coding RNAs in Head and Neck Cancer. In: Guest, P.C. (eds) Reviews on New Drug Targets in Age-Related Disorders. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology(), vol 1286. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55035-6_7

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