Novel insights on oral squamous cell carcinoma management using long non-coding RNAs

Oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)is one of the most prevalent forms of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas(HNSCC)with a poor overall survival rate(about 50%),particularly in cases of metastasis.RNA-based cancer biomarkers are a relatively advanced concept,and non-coding RNAs currently have shown promising roles in the detection and treatment of various malignancies.This review underlines the function of long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)in the OSCC and its subsequent clinical implications.LncRNAs,a class of non-coding RNAs,are larger than 200 nucleotides and resemble mRNA in numerous ways.However,unlike mRNA,lncRNA regulates multiple druggable and non-druggable signaling molecules through simultaneous interaction with DNA,RNA,proteins,or microRNAs depending on concentration and localization in cells.Upregulation of oncogenic lncRNAs and downregulation of tumor suppressor lncRNAs are evident in OSCC tissues and body fluids such as blood and saliva indicating their potential as valuable biomarkers.Targeted inhibition of candidate oncogenic lncRNAs or overexpression of tumor suppressor lncRNAs showed potential therapeutic roles in in-vivo animal models.The types of lncRNAs that are expressed differentially in OSCC tissue and bodily fluids have been systematically documented with specificity and sensitivity.This review thoroughly discusses the biological functions of such lncRNAs in OSCC cell survival,proliferation,invasion,migration,metastasis,angiogenesis,metabolism,epigenetic modification,tumor immune microenvironment,and drug resistance.Subsequently,we addressed the diagnostic and therapeutic importance of lncRNAs in OSCC pre-clinical and clinical systems,providing details on ongoing research and outlining potential future directions for advancements in this field.In essence,this review could be a valuable resource by offering comprehensive and current insights into lncRNAs in OSCC for researchers in fundamental and clinical domains.

HOTAIR:an oncogenic long non-coding RNA in different cancers

Long non-coding RNAs （lncRNAs） refer to a group of RNAs that are usually more than 200 nucleotides and are not involved in protein generation. Instead, lncRNAs are involved in different regulatory processes, such as regulation of gene expression. Different lncRNAs exist throughout the genome. LncRNAs are also known for their roles in different human diseases such as cancer. HOTAIR is an lncRNA that plays a role as an oncogenic molecule in different cancer ceils, such as breast, gastric, colorectal, and cervical cancer cells. Therefore, HOTAIR expression level is a potential biomarker for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in several cancers. This RNA takes part in epigenetic regulation of genes and plays an important role in different cellular pathways by interacting with Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 （PRC2）. In this review, we describe the molecular function and regulation of HOTAIR and its role in different types of cancers.

Long Non-coding RNA MEG3 Induces Renal Cell Carcinoma Cells Apoptosis by Activating the Mitochondrial Pathway

Summary： This study aimed to examine the effect of long non-coding RNA （LncRNA） MEG3 on the biological behaviors of renal cell carcinoma （RCC） cells 786-0 and the possible mechanism. MEG3 expression levels were detected by RT-qPCR in Rmaor tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues from 29 RCC patients and in RCC lines 786-0 and SN12 and human embryonic kidney cell line 293T. Plasmids GV144-MEG3 （MEG3 overexpression plasmid） and GV144 （control plasmid） were stably transfected into 786-0 cells by using lipofectamine 2000. Cell viabilities were determined by MTT, cell apoptosis rates by flow cytometry following PE Annexin V and 7AAD staining, apoptosis-related protein expressions by Western blotting, and Bcl-2 mRNA by RT-qPCR in the transfected cells. The results showed that MEG3 was evidently downregulated in RCC tissues （P〈0.05） and RCC cell lines （P〈0.05）. The viabilities of 786-0 cells were decreased significantly after transfection with GV144-MEG3 for over 24 h （P〈0.05）. Consistently, the apoptosis rate was significantly increased in 786-0 cells transfected with GV144-MEG3 for 48 h （P〈0.05）. Furthermore, overexpression of MEG3 could reduce the expression of Bcl-2 and procaspase-9 proteins, enhance the expression of cleaved caspase-9 protein, and promote the release of cytochrome c protein to cytoplasm （P〈0.05）. Additionally, Bcl-2 mRNA level was declined by MEG3 overexpression （P〈0.05）. It was concluded that MEG3 induces the apoptosis of RCC cells possibly by activating the mitochondrial pathway.

Involvement of long non-coding RNAs in pear fruit senescence under high-and low-temperature conditions

Pear fruit senescence under high-and low-temperature conditions has been reported to be mediated by microRNAs.Long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs),which can function as competing endogenous RNAs that interact with microRNAs,may also be involved in temperature-affected fruit senescence.Based on the transcriptome and microRNA sequencings,in this study,3330 lncRNAs were isolated from Pyrus pyrifolia fruit.Of these lncRNAs,2060 and 537 were responsive to high-and low-temperature conditions,respectively.Of these differentially expressed lncRNAs,82 and 24 correlated to the mRNAs involved in fruit senescence under high-and low-temperature conditions,respectively.Moreover,three lncRNAs were predicted to be competing endogenous RNAs(ceRNAs)that interact with the microRNAs involved in fruit senescence,while one and two ceRNAs were involved in fruit senescence under high-and low-temperature conditions,respectively.A dual-luciferase assay showed that the interaction of an lncRNA with a microRNA disrupts the action of the microRNA on the expression of its target mRNA(s).Furthermore,four alternative splicing-derived lncRNAs interacted with miR172i homologies(Novel_88 and Novel_69)to relieve the repressed expression of their target and produce an miR172i precursor.Correlation analysis of microRNA expression suggested that Novel_69 is likely involved in the cleavage of the pre-miR172i hairpin to generate mature miR172i.Taken together,lncRNAs are involved in pear fruit senescence under high-or low-temperature conditions through ceRNAs and the production of microRNA.

Regulatory mechanisms of long non-coding RNAs

Long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs) belong to a large and complex family of RNAs, which play many important roles in regulating gene expression. However, the mechanism underlying the dynamic expression of lncRNAs is still not very clear. In order to identify lncRNAs and clarify the mechanisms involved, we collected basic information and highlighted the mechanisms underlying lncRNA expression and regulation. Overall, lncRNAs are regulated by several similar transcription factors and protein-coding genes. Epigenetic modification(DNA methylation and histone modification) can also downregulate lncRNA levels in tissues and cells. Moreover, lncRNAs may be degraded or cleaved via interaction with miRNAs and miRNAassociated protein complexes. Furthermore, alternative RNA splicing(AS) may play a significant role in the post-transcriptional regulation of lncRNAs.

Expressions of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Carcinogenesis of Cervix: A Review

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides mostly transcribed by RNA which do not encode proteins. Previously, lncRNAs were considered transcriptional byproducts called “junk DNA” with no biological functions. There are many studies conducted on lncRNAs showing they are actively involved in regulation of epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional events. Expressions of lncRNAs are more different in many malignant tumors than in benign tumors and normal tissue. Aberration of lncRNAs is responsible to promote or suppress tumorigenesis and cancer progression. Under different circumstances, lncRNAs exhibit their roles in carcinogenesis such as MALAT1 is responsible for intervening mRNA instability, HOTAIR, MALAT1, ANRIL, PVT1 links with miRNA and histonemodifying complexes, MEG3 associates with miRNA, CCAT2, MEG3, GAS5, UCA1 allies with c-Myc or P53 causing suppression of tumor or oncogenesis. Abnormal expressions of lncRNAs are noticed in gynecological cancers, such as cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer. Identification of cervical cancer associated lncRNAs is necessary to understand the molecular biogenesis of cancers. In this review, we summarized the foundation and function of the lncRNAs in terms of tumor progression, invasion, prognosis, apoptosis, metastasis, and chemo-resistance. This review will provide references to determine the clinical applications of lncRNAs as ideal diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets in cervical cancers.

LncRNA AFAP1-AS1 exhibits oncogenic characteristics and promotes gemcitabine-resistance of cervical cancer cells through miR-7-5p/EGFR axis

Background:Drug resistance is the main factor contributing to cancer recurrence and poor prognosis.Exploration of drug resistance-related mechanisms and effective therapeutic targets are the aim of molecular targeted therapy.In our study,the role of long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)AFAP1-AS1 in gemcitabine resistance and related mechanisms were explored in cervical cancer cells.Methods:Gemcitabine-resistant cervical cancer cell lines HT-3-Gem and SW756-Gem were constructed using the gemcitabine concentration gradient method.The overall survival rates and recurrence-free survival rates were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis.The interaction was verified through a Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and a Biotinylated RNA pull-down assay.Cell proliferation ability was assessed through methyl-thiazolyl-tetrazolium(MTT),soft agar,and colony formation experiments.Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected byflow cytometry.Results:Up-regulation of AFAP1-AS1 in cervical cancer predicted a poor prognosis.Besides,patients in the gemcitabine-resistance group had higher levels of AFAP1-AS1 than the gemcitabine-sensitive group.AFAP1-AS1 promoted tumor growth and induced gemcitabine tolerance of cervical cancer cells.In addition,AFAP1-AS1 mediated epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)expression by serving as a molecular sponge for microRNA-7a-5p(miR-7-5p).This present study also proved that the knockdown of EGFR or overexpression of miR-7a-5p abolished the accelerative role of AFAP1-AS1 overexpression in cancer progression and gemcitabine tolerance.Conclusions:In general,the AFAP1-AS1/miR-7-5p/EGFR axis was tightly related to the progression and gemcitabine tolerance of cervical cancer,providing potential targets for the management of cervical cancer.

Bioinformatics Analysis on lncRNA and mRNA Expression Profiles for Novel Biological Features of Valvular Heart Disease with Atrial Fibrillation

The biological features of the valvular heart disease with atrial fibrillation(AF-VHD)remain unknown when involving long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs).This study performed system analysis on lncRNA and messenger RNA(mRNA)expression profiles constructed by using bioinformatics methods and tools for biological features of AF-VHD.Fold change and t-test were used to identify differentially expressed(DE)lncRNAs and mRNAs.The enrichment analysis of DE mRNAs was performed.The subgroups formed by lncRNAs and nearby mRNAs were screened,and a transcriptional regulation network among lncRNAs,mRNAs,and transcription factors(TFs)was constructed.The interactions between mRNAs related to lncRNAs and drugs were predicted.The 620 AF-VHDrelated DE lncRNAs and 452 DE mRNAs were identified.The 3 lncRNA subgroups were screened.The 665 regulations mediated by lncRNAs and TFs were identified.The 9 mRNAs related to lncRNAs had 1 or more potential drug interactions,totaling 37 drugs.Of these,9 drugs targeting 3 genes are already known to be able to control or trigger atrial fibrillation(AF)or other cardiac arrhythmias.The found biological features of AF-VHD provide foundations for further biological experiments to better understand the roles of lncRNAs in development from the valvular heart disease(VHD)to AF-VHD.

绝经后骨质疏松症差异表达lncRNAs及其靶基因抑瘤素M在外周血的表达研究

目的探讨绝经后骨质疏松症差异表达lncRNAs及其靶基因抑瘤素M(oncostatin M,OSM)在绝经后骨质疏松症外周血的表达及其意义。方法在前期lncRNA-mRNA芯片检测绝经后骨质疏松症差异lncRNAs并进行共表达分析的基础上,利用blat软件分析lncRNA TTC28-AS1、linc-IRF2BP2-1、linc-FAM126B-1靶基因;RNAfold预测其二级结构;随机选择绝经后妇女受试者,检测骨密度,正常骨密度妇女25例为对照组,骨质疏松症患者25例为骨质疏松症组;定量PCR检测两组人群外周血lncRNA TTC28-AS1、linc-IRF2BP2-1、linc-FAM126B-1及抑瘤素M的表达。结果blat软件预测lncRNA TTC28-AS1、linc-IRF2BP2-1、linc-FAM126B-1的靶基因为OSM,相关系数分别为0.8506(P=0.0037)、0.9314(P=0.0003)及0.9222(P=0.0004);RNAfold预测3个lncRNAs均具有多个茎环、多分枝内部环结构;lncRNA TTC28-AS1、linc-IRF2BP2-1、linc-FAM126B-1及其靶基因抑瘤素M在骨质疏松症组中表达水平均显著低于对照组(P值均小于0.05)。结论lncRNA TTC28-AS1、linc-IRF2BP2-1、linc-FAM126B-1及其靶基因抑瘤素M表达下调可能与绝经后骨质疏松症存在相关性。

The LncRNA FEZF1-AS1 promotes tumor proliferation in colon cancer by regulating the mitochondrial protein PCK2

LncRNAs and metabolism represents two factors involved in cancer initiation and progression.However,the interaction between lncRNAs and metabolism remains to be fully explored.In this study,lncRNA FEZF1-AS1(FEZF1-AS1)was found upregulated in colon cancer after screening all the lncRNAs of colon cancer tissues deposited in TCGA,the result of which was further confirmed by RNAscope staining on a colon tissue chip.The results obtained using FEZF1-AS1 knockout colon cancer cells(SW480 KO and HCT-116 KO)constructed using CRISPR/Cas9 system confirmed the proliferation,invasion,and migration-promoting function of FEZF1-AS1 in vitro.Mechanistically,FEZF1-AS1 associated with the mitochondrial protein phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase(PCK2),which plays an essential role in regulating energy metabolism in the mitochondria.Knockdown of FEZF1-AS1 greatly decreased PCK2 protein levels,broke the homeostasis of energy metabolism in the mitochondria,and inhibited proliferation,invasion,and migration of SW480 and HCT-116 cells.PCK2 overexpression in FEZF1-AS1 knockout cells partially rescued the tumor inhibitory effect on colon cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo.Moreover,PCK2 overexpression specifically rescued the abnormal accumulation of Flavin mononucleotide(FMN)and succinate,both of which play an important role in oxidative phosphorylation(OXPHOS).Overall,these results indicate that FEZF1-AS1 is an oncogene through regulating energy metabolism of the cell.This research reveals a new mechanism for lncRNAs to regulate colon cancer and provides a potential target for colon cancer diagnosis and treatment.

The Research Progress of Long Noncoding RNAs in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is a leader of the degree of more than 200 nucleotides, almost do not have the function of protein coding endogenous RNA molecules. Recent studies show that, lncRNA is not encoded protein, but it has a wide range of biological functions, and lncRNA in human diseases, especially in oncology, more and more attention has been paid to its role. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common malignant tumor of the head and neck in South China, which poses a serious threat to people’s health and life. Studies found that lncRNA is widely involved in the invasion, metastasis and prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In this article, we will review the research progress of lncRNA in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Long non-coding RNA(lncRNA):A potential therapeutic target in acute lung injury

Acute Lung Injury(ALI)and its severe form Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome(ARDS)are the major cause of ICU death worldwide.ALI/ARDS is characterized by severe hypoxemia and inflammation that leads to poor lung compliance.Despite many advances in understanding and management,ALI/ARDS is still causing significant morbidity and mortality.Long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)is a fast-growing topic in lung inflammation and injury.lncRNA is a class of non-coding RNA having a length of more than 200 nucleotides.It has been a center of research for understanding the pathophysiology of various diseases in the past few years.Multiple studies have shown that lncRNAs are abundant in acute lung injury/injuries in mouse models and cell lines.By targeting these long non-coding RNAs,many investigators have demonstrated the alleviation of ALI in various mouse models.Therefore,lncRNAs show great promise as a therapeutic target in ALI.This review provides the current state of knowledge about the relationship between lncRNAs in various biological processes in acute lung injury and its use as a potential therapeutic target.

植物长链非编码RNA研究进展

长链非编码RNA(Long non-coding RNA,lncRNA)长度大于200个核苷酸,大量存在于生物体中并具有多种生物学功能。目前,植物中发现的lncRNA大多由RNA聚合酶Ⅱ转录,并通过目标模仿、转录干扰、组蛋白甲基化和DNA甲基化等多种机制介导基因的表达,在植物开花、雄性不育、营养代谢、生物和非生物胁迫等生物过程中起着调节因子的作用。文章综述了近年来发现的植物lnc RNA数据库、预测方法、表达及可能的生物学功能。

Exosomal long non-coding RNAs: biological properties and therapeutic potential in cancer treatment

Exosomes and long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)are emerging as important elements contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of cancer development and progression.The discovery of lncRNAs in exosomes further indicates their bona fide biological functional roles in cancer development and drug resistance.In this review,we describe the biogenesis of exosomes and summarize the function of exosomal lncRNAs in the field of cancer research.These findings strikingly advance current knowledge of exosomal lncRNAs and suggest that they may be promising diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cancer.

Cellular, physiological and pathological aspects of the long non-coding RNA NEAT1

BACKGROUND： The majority of mammalian genomes have been found to be transcribed into non-coding RNAs. One category of non-coding RNAs is classified as long non-coding RNAs （lncRNAs） based on their transcript sizes larger than 200 nucleotides. Growing evidence has shown that lncRNAs are not junk transcripts and play regulatory roles in multiple aspects of biological processes. Dysregulation of lncRNA expression has also been linked to diseases, in particular cancer. Therefore, studies of lncRNAs have attracted significant interest in the field of medical research. Nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 （NEAT1）, a nuclear lncRNA, has recently emerged as a key regulator involved in various cellular processes, physiological responses, developmental processes, and disease development and progression. OBJECTIVE： This review will summarize and discuss the most recent findings with regard to the roles of NEAT1 in the function of the nuclear paraspeckle, cellular pathways, and physiological responses and processes. Particularly, the most recently reported studies regarding the pathological roles of deregulated NEAT1 in cancer are highlighted in this review. METHODS： We performed a systematic literature search using the Pubmed search engine. Studies published over the past 8 years （between January 2009 and August 2016） were the sources of literature review. The following keywords were used： ＂Nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1,＂ ＂NEATI,＂ and ＂paraspeckles.＂ RESULTS： The Pubmed search identified 34 articles related to the topic of the review. Among the identified literature, 13 articles report findings related to cellular functions of NEAT1 and eight articles are the investigations of physiological functions of NEAT1. The remaining 13 articles are studies of the roles of NEAT1 in cancers. CONCLUSION： Recent advances in NEAT1 studies reveal the multifimctional roles of NEAT1 in various biological processes, which are beyond its role in nuclear paraspeckles. Recent studies also indicate that dysregulation of NEAT1 function contributes to the development and progression of various cancers. More investigations will be needed to address the detailed mechanisms regarding how NEAT1 executes its cellular and physiological functions and how NEAT1 dysregulation results in tumorigenesis, and to explore the potential of NEAT1 as a target in cancer diagnosis, prognosis and therapy.

Long non-coding RNA LncKdm2b regulates cortical neuronal differentiation by cis-activating Kdm2b

The mechanisms underlying spatial and temporal control of cortical neurogenesis of the brain are largely elusive.Long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)have emerged as essential cell fate regulators.Here we found LncKdm2b(also known as Kancr),a lncRNA divergently transcribed from a bidirectional promoter of Kdm2b,is transiently expressed during early differentiation of cortical projection neurons.Interestingly,Kdm2b’s transcription is positively regulated in cis by LncKdm2b,which has intrinsic-activating function and facilitates a permissive chromatin environment at the Kdm2b’s promoter by associating with hnRNPAB.Lineage tracing experiments and phenotypic analyses indicated LncKdm2b and Kdm2b are crucial in proper differentiation and migration of cortical projection neurons.These observations unveiled a lncRNA-dependent machinery in regulating cortical neuronal differentiation.

Integrative analysis of prognostic long non-coding RNAs with copy number variation in bladder cancer

Copy number variations(CNVs), which can affect the role of long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs), are important genetic changes seen in some malignant tumors. We analyzed lncRNAs with CNV to explore the relationship between lncRNAs and prognosis in bladder cancer(BLCA). Messenger RNA(mRNA) expression levels, DNA methylation, and DNA copy number data of 408 BLCA patients were subjected to integrative bioinformatics analysis. Cluster analysis was performed to obtain different subtypes and differently expressed lncRNAs and coding genes. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA) was performed to identify the co-expression gene and lncRNA modules. CNV-associated lncRNA data and their influence on cancer prognosis were assessed with Kaplan-Meier survival curve. Multi-omics integration analysis revealed five prognostic lncRNAs with CNV, namely NR2 F1-AS1, LINC01138, THUMPD3-AS1, LOC101928489, and TMEM147-AS1, and a risk-score signature related to overall survival in BLCA was identified. Moreover, validated results in another independent Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO) dataset, GSE31684, were consistent with these results. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analysis revealed that the mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) signaling pathway, focal adhesion pathway, and Janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription(JAK-STAT) signaling pathway were enriched in a high-risk score pattern, suggesting that imbalance in these pathways is closely related to tumor development. We revealed the prognosis-related lncRNAs by analyzing the expression profiles of lncRNAs and CNVs, which can be used as prognostic biomarkers for BLCA.

Expression Profile and Function Analysis of Long Non-coding RNAs in the Infection of Coxsackievirus B3

The roles of lnc RNAs in the infection of enteroviruses have been barely demonstrated. In this study, we used coxsackievirus B3(CVB3), a typical enterovirus, as a model to investigate the expression profiles and functional roles of lnc RNAs in enterovirus infection. We profiled lnc RNAs and m RNA expression in CVB3-infected He La cells by lnc RNA-m RNA integrated microarrays. As a result, 700 differentially expressed lnc RNAs(431 up-regulated and 269 down-regulated) and665 differentially expressed m RNAs(299 up-regulated and 366 down-regulated) were identified in CVB3 infection. Then we performed lnc RNA-m RNA integrated pathway analysis to identify potential functional impacts of the differentially expressed m RNAs, in which lnc RNA-m RNA correlation network was built. According to lnc RNA-m RNA correlation, we found that XLOC-001188, an lnc RNA down-regulated in CVB3 infection, was negatively correlated with NFAT5 m RNA,an anti-CVB3 gene reported previously. This interaction was supported by q PCR detection following si RNA-mediated knockdown of XLOC-001188, which showed an increase of NFAT5 m RNA and a reduction of CVB3 genomic RNA. In addition, we observed that four most significantly altered lnc RNAs, SNHG11, RP11-145 F16.2, RP11-1023 L17.1 and RP11-1021 N1.2 share several common correlated genes critical for CVB3 infection, such as BRE and IRF2 BP1. In all, our studies reveal the alteration of lnc RNA expression in CVB3 infection and its potential influence on CVB3 replication,providing useful information for future studies of enterovirus infection.

Long non-coding RNA in liver metabolism and disease:Current status

Long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)are comprised of RNA transcripts exceeding 200 nucleotides in length but lacking identifiable open reading frames(with rare exceptions).Herein,we highlight emerging evidence demonstrating that lncRNAs are critical regulators of liver metabolic function and diseases.We summarize current knowledges about dysregulated lncRNAs and outline the underlying molecular mechanisms by which lncRNAs control hepatic lipid ad glucose metabolism,as well as cholestatic liver disease.Liver-specific triglyceride regulator(lncLSTR),Lnc18q22.2,steroid RNA activator(SRA),highly upregulated in liver cancer(HULC),metastasis associated in lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1(MALAT1),liver glucokinase repressor(lncLGR),maternally expressed gene 3(MEG3),and H19,lncHR1,lnc-HC,apolipoprotein A1 antisense transcript(APOA1-AS),DYNLRB2-2,and LXR-induced sequence(LeXis)are included in the discussion.

Unexpected Roles of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Biology

Recent studies show that long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs) play important roles in the regulation of various biological processes, including chromatin remodeling, dosage-compensation, imprinting, and epigenetic regulation. Aberrant expression of lncRNAs is involved in many complex human diseases, including cancer. In this review, we summarized recent progress on lncRNAs detection methodology with emphasis on their functions and potential implication in cancer diagnosis and therapy.