Non-coding RNA and autophagy: Finding novel ways to improve the diagnostic management of bladder cancer

Abstract

Major fraction of the human genome is transcribed in to the RNA but is not translated in to any specific functional protein. These transcribed but not translated RNA molecules are called as non-coding RNA (ncRNA). There are thousands of different non-coding RNAs present inside the cells, each regulating different cellular pathway/pathways. Over the last few decades non-coding RNAs have been found to be involved in various diseases including cancer. Non-coding RNAs are reported to function both as tumor enhancer and/or tumor suppressor in almost each type of cancer. Urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder is the second most common urogenital malignancy in the world. Over the last few decades, non-coding RNAs were demonstrated to be linked with bladder cancer progression by modulating different signalling pathways and cellular processes such as autophagy, metastasis, drug resistance and tumor proliferation. Due to the heterogeneity of bladder cancer cells more in-depth molecular characterization is needed to identify new diagnostic and treatment options. This review emphasizes the current findings on non-coding RNAs and their relationship with various oncological processes such as autophagy, and their applicability to the pathophysiology of bladder cancer. This may offer an understanding of evolving non-coding RNA-targeted diagnostic tools and new therapeutic approaches for bladder cancer management in the future.

Human β-defensin-1 activates autophagy in human colon cancer cells via regulation of long non-coding RNA TCONS_00014506

“…A growing body of evidence indicates that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are expressed in most cancers with autophagy-modulating roles, impacting the survival of several cancers[ 12 , 13 ]. In their study[ 5 ], the authors found that hBD1-treated SW620 colon cancer cells exhibited upregulated expression of lncRNA TCONS_00014506.…”

Non-coding RNA and reprogrammed mitochondrial metabolism in genitourinary cancer

“…The non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are less frequently expressed than the protein-coding genes, where their characteristic functional structures are well conserved across evolutionary timescales. It is well-established that ncRNAs function as both tumor enhancers and tumor suppressors in nearly all types of cancer ( Mattick and Makunin, 2006 ; Tantray et al, 2023 ). Despite these expression patterns, ncRNAs are precisely tuned to specific tissues or cancer types, regulating complex mechanisms ( Table 2 ).…”