The majority of the human genome encodes RNAs that do not code for proteins. These non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) affect normal expression of the genes, including oncogenes and tumour suppressive genes, which make them a new class of targets for drug development in cancer. Although microRNAs (miRNAs) are the most studied regulatory ncRNAs to date, and miRNA-targeted therapeutics have already reached clinical development, including the mimics of the tumour suppressive miRNAs miR-34 and miR-16, which reached phase I clinical trials for the treatment of liver cancer and mesothelioma, the importance of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is increasingly being recognised. Here, we describe obstacles and advances in the development of ncRNA therapeutics and provide the comprehensive overview of the ncRNA chemistry and delivery technologies. Furthermore, we summarise recent knowledge on the biological functions of miRNAs and their involvement in carcinogenesis, and discuss the strategies of their therapeutic manipulation in cancer. We review also the emerging insights into the role of lncRNAs and their potential as targets for novel treatment paradigms. Finally, we provide the up-to-date summary of clinical trials involving miRNAs and future directions in the development of ncRNA therapeutics.
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December 2017
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The marine worm Chaetopterus produces blue-green glowing mucus when disturbed. The light production process requires iron and is regulated by ferritin. Characterization of the worm ferritin reveals that it outperforms any other ferritins reported in the literature. Compilation made by De Meulenaere, using the crystal structure of the worm ferritin by Bailey and specimen image taken by Deheyn. For more information, please see pages, 4193–4206.
Review Article|
December 14 2017
Therapeutic targeting of non-coding RNAs in cancer
Ondrej Slaby;
Ondrej Slaby
*
1Centre for Molecular Medicine, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
2Department of Comprehensive Cancer Care, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
Correspondence: Ondrej Slaby (on.slaby@gmail.com) or Richard Laga (laga@imc.cas.cz)
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Richard Laga;
Richard Laga
*
3Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
Correspondence: Ondrej Slaby (on.slaby@gmail.com) or Richard Laga (laga@imc.cas.cz)
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Ondrej Sedlacek
Ondrej Sedlacek
3Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
August 18 2017
Revision Received:
November 05 2017
Accepted:
November 07 2017
Online ISSN: 1470-8728
Print ISSN: 0264-6021
© 2017 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2017
Biochem J (2017) 474 (24): 4219–4251.
Article history
Received:
August 18 2017
Revision Received:
November 05 2017
Accepted:
November 07 2017
Citation
Ondrej Slaby, Richard Laga, Ondrej Sedlacek; Therapeutic targeting of non-coding RNAs in cancer. Biochem J 15 December 2017; 474 (24): 4219–4251. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BCJ20170079
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