Pathogenic roles of long noncoding RNAs in melanoma: Implications in diagnosis and therapies

Melanoma is one of the most dangerous types of cutaneous neoplasms, which are pigment-producing cells of neuroectodermal origin found all over the body. A great deal of research is focused on the mechanisms of melanoma to promote better diagnostic and treat-ment options for melanoma in its advanced stages. The progression of melanoma involves alteration in different levels of gene expression. With the successful implementation of next-generation sequencing technology, an increasing number of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) sequences have been discovered, and a significant number of them have phenotypic effects in both in vitro and in vivo studies, implying that they play an important role in the occurrence and progression of human cancers, particularly melanoma. A number of evidence indicated that lncRNAs are important regulators in tumor cell proliferation, invasion, apoptosis, immune escape, energy metabolism, drug resistance, epigenetic regulation. To bet -ter understand the role of lncRNAs in melanoma tumorigenesis, we categorize melanoma-associated lncRNAs according to their cellular functions and associations with gene expression and signaling pathways in this review. Based on the mechanisms of lncRNA, we discuss the pos-sibility of lncRNA-target treatments, and the application of liquid biopsies to detect lncRNAs in melanoma diagnosis and prognosis. (c) 2021 The Authors. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.

Automated summary

Melanoma, a dangerous type of cutaneous neoplasm, has been extensively studied to improve diagnostic and treatment options. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been discovered and found to play significant roles in the occurrence and progression of melanoma. Researchers have categorized melanoma-associated lncRNAs based on their cellular functions, gene expression, and signaling pathways, and discussed the possibility of lncRNA-targeted treatments and the application of liquid biopsies for lncRNA detection in melanoma diagnosis and prognosis.