Abstract
Background
Urothelial cancer associated 1 (UCA1) is a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) which has gained more attention in recent years due to its aberrant expression in embryogenesis and a broad range of cancer tissues and cells. Importantly, multiple studies have shown that UCA1 plays oncogenic roles in tumor growth and metastasis, and it may act as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for human cancers. However, the molecular mechanism of UCA1 in cancer initiation, progression and metastasis remains incompletely understood. Thus, gaining a better understanding of the functional mechanism of UCA1 in cancer onset and progression is of the utmost significance for evaluating the potential application of UCA1.
Results and discussion
In this review, we discuss UCA1 expression profiling, isoform, expression regulation, biological role and mechanism for UCA1 tumor-promoting effect. We further discuss the potential clinical application of UCA1 as a promising diagnostic biomarker or therapeutic target for human cancers.
Conclusion
UCA1 functions as an oncogenic lncRNA in several malignancies, and it might become a potential biomarker or therapeutic target for human cancers.
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Acknowledgments
The authors apologize to all colleagues whose important work could not be cited owing to space restrictions. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 81372151, 81572735 and 81502529) and the First Affiliated Hospital Foundation of Xi’an Jiaotong University of China (2014YK9).
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Xue, M., Chen, W. & Li, X. Urothelial cancer associated 1: a long noncoding RNA with a crucial role in cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 142, 1407–1419 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-015-2042-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-015-2042-y