Targeting long non-coding RNAs in cancers: Progress and prospects

Pervasive transcription occurs in the human genome to generate thousands of RNA transcripts, arid accumulating evidence suggested that the RNA molecules, without protein coding ability, have important roles in diverse biological functions. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), with size larger than 200 nt, is a new class of the non-coding RNA that contributes to cancer development and progression. Roles for several IncRNAs in cancers have been characterized and strategies targeting them have inhibitory effects to malignant cells in vitro and in vivo. These findings point to the potential of IncRNAs as prospective novel therapeutic targets in cancers. Recent advance in biological drugs, led by nucleic acid drugs (i.e. siRNAs, antisense oligonucleotides), suggest directions for the development of cancer therapies targeting IncRNAs. Here, we discuss the characteristics of lncRNAs regarding their synthesis, stability and functional role in cells, and emphasize their unique properties that determine their molecular functions. We then discuss the association of IncRNAs with cancers, and illustrate the anticancer effects induced upon modulating the level and function of incRNAs. We also revisit established methods for targeting RNA molecules and discuss new agents and strategies to attenuate IncRNAs in cancer. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.