The role of long non-coding RNA in epithelial-mesenchymal transition
Timo, Ahola (2022)
Timo, Ahola
2022
Bioteknologian ja biolääketieteen tekniikan kandidaattiohjelma - Bachelor's Programme in Biotechnology and Biomedical Engineering
Lääketieteen ja terveysteknologian tiedekunta - Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2022-05-19
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202204273950
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202204273950
Tiivistelmä
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are RNA-molecules that are transcribed from DNA but are not translated into protein. They have been shown to be important regulators of cellular function acting through their interactions with other RNAs, DNA, and proteins. Non-coding RNAs can be categorized into short ncRNAs which are less than 200 nucleotides in length and long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) which are more than 200 nucleotides in length. Many different types of short non-coding RNAs have been found but one of the most extensively researched types are microRNAs which are 18-24 nucleotides in length and are generated through a characteristic maturation pathway. Micro-RNAs are most often involved in downregulation of gene expression through hybridizing with complementary mRNAs. This repression can be counteracted by lncRNAs which can sequester miRNAs, preventing them from binding to their mRNA targets. Long ncRNAs can also bind to DNA and alter chromatin behavior to influence the expression of genes located in the area. One event where such lncRNAs play a significant role is epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process in which epithelial cells lose some of their characteristic properties and gain those of mesenchymal cells. Although EMT occurs as a part of normal embryonic development, it also enables the migration and metastasis of tumor cells during cancer progression. An example of a lncRNA acting during cancerous EMT is vimentin antisense 1 (Vim-as1), which can simultaneously act through several lncRNA-based regulatory mechanisms to drive EMT. The fact that a single lncRNA can regulate gene expression through multiple mechanisms and can have several downstream targets means that the regulatory networks formed by lncRNAs are very complex. Cellular events, such as EMT, occur through the influence of many regulators working in conjunction, instead of being governed by a single master-regulator. For this reason, lncRNAs and their role in EMT require research from several points of view as both global changes in gene expression and the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying single lncRNAs must be investigated. The central role of lncRNAs in EMT suggests that lncRNAs may have potential as a biomarker or therapeutic target for cancer but for now, applications have yet to reach the clinical stage.
Kokoelmat
- Kandidaatintutkielmat [8799]