长非编码RNA的作用机制及在肿瘤发生发展中的意义

The roles of long noncoding RNAs and its implications in tumorigenesis

功能基因组学的飞速发展将越来越多的目光引向了对非编码转录产物功能的研究。在人的转录组中,存在着一类长度大于200nt,但并不具备编码蛋白质功能的基因转录产物,即长非编码RNA(long noncoding RNA,lncRNA)。相比于小分子RNA,它们仍是目前基因组转录产物中较为陌生的部分。在整个基因组转录产物中,lncRNA所占的比例远远超过编码RNA所占的比例。不同于编码RNA,lncRNA的保守性要差得多,然而在其分子内部,却含有较为保守的局部区段,且其表达具有时空特异性,这些现象都提示了lncRNA具有重要的生理生化功能。越来越多的研究表明,lncRNA在基因表达调控方面发挥着十分重要的作用,与物种进化、胚胎发育、物质代谢以及肿瘤发生等都有着紧密的联系,其功能的深入研究将使目前对细胞的结构网络和调控网络的认识带来革命性的变化,具有不可估量的科学和临床价值。该文将着重讨论lncRNA在不同层面上对基因表达的调控机制以及在肿瘤发生发展中的意义。

One of the most important discoveries from studies at the genomic scale is that there are much more abundant non-coding transcripts in different species than previously imagined. Long noncoding RNAs （lncRNAs） are defined as transcripts longer than 200 nt without coding capacities. Compared to short ncRNAs,the func-tions of lncRNAs are less understood. Although the overall similarity are relatively low,strongly conserved elements are found in homologous lncRNAs among different species. The spatio-temporal expression profiles of some lncRNAs indicate they may have magnificent physiological and biochemical functions. Recent studies show that lncRNA plays a key role in the regulation of gene expression,development,oncogenesis and evolution. In this review,we mainly discuss the roles of long noncoding RNAs at the level of transcription,and its implications in tumorigenesis.