Diversity of Dysregulated Long Non-Coding RNAs in HBV-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) continues to pose a major threat to public health as approximately 292 million people worldwide are currently living with the chronic form of the disease, for which treatment is non-curative. Chronic HBV infections often progress to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) which is one of the world’s leading causes of cancer-related deaths. Although the process of hepatocarcinogenesis is multifaceted and has yet to be fully elucidated, several studies have implicated numerous long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as contributors to the development of HCC. These host-derived lncRNAs, which are often dysregulated as a consequence of viral infection, have been shown to function as signals, decoys, guides, or scaffolds, to modulate gene expression at epigenetic, transcriptional, post-transcriptional and even post-translational levels. These lncRNAs mainly function to promote HBV replication and oncogene expression or downregulate tumor suppressors. Very few lncRNAs are known to suppress tumorigenesis and these are often downregulated in HCC. In this review, we describe the mechanisms by which lncRNA dysregulation in HBV-related HCC promotes tumorigenesis and cancer progression.

LncRNA-Associated Genetic Etiologies Are Shared between Type 2 Diabetes and Cancers in the UAE Population

“…PRC1 is overexpressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and it is associated with the increased chemoresistance of these cells [ 55 ]. PRC1-AS1 is an antisense lncRNA and, similarly to PRC1, is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma [ 35 ]. The intronic region where the SNP is located is conserved only in primates with the exception of marmoset and squirrel monkey, while in rat, mouse and pig it is not conserved.…”

Leveraging metformin to combat hepatocellular carcinoma: its therapeutic promise against hepatitis viral infections

“…They also cause HCC therapy resistance [78] . Several studies have shown that particular lncRNAs can be directly or indirectly disregulated by the HBx protein [79][80][81] [Table 1].…”

Current updates on the molecular and genetic signals as diagnostic and therapeutic targets for hepatitis B virus-associated hepatic malignancy

“…Moreover, the primary roles of these lncRNAs are to inhibit tumor suppressors and/or increase oncogene expression and HBV replication. It has been discovered that barely any lncRNAs inhibit the growth of tumors, and these are frequently inhibited in HCC [ 57 ].…”