The role of non-coding RNAs in chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers

Fatemeh Dashti; Seyed Mohammad Ali Mirazimi; Nikta Rabiei; Reza Fathazam; Negin Rabiei; Haleh Piroozmand; Massoud Vosough; Neda Rahimian; Michael R Hamblin; Hamed Mirzaei

doi:10.1016/j.omtn.2021.10.004

The role of non-coding RNAs in chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers

Mol Ther Nucleic Acids. 2021 Oct 8:26:892-926. doi: 10.1016/j.omtn.2021.10.004. eCollection 2021 Dec 3.

Authors

Fatemeh Dashti^{1

2}, Seyed Mohammad Ali Mirazimi^{1

2}, Nikta Rabiei³, Reza Fathazam³, Negin Rabiei³, Haleh Piroozmand⁴, Massoud Vosough⁵, Neda Rahimian⁶, Michael R Hamblin^{7

8}, Hamed Mirzaei⁹

Affiliations

¹ School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
² Student Research Committee, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
³ School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
⁴ Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
⁵ Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
⁶ Endocrine Research Center, Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran.
⁷ Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein 2028, South Africa.
⁸ Radiation Biology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁹ Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.

Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including colorectal, gastric, hepatic, esophageal, and pancreatic tumors, are responsible for large numbers of deaths around the world. Chemotherapy is the most common approach used to treat advanced GI cancer. However, chemoresistance has emerged as a critical challenge that prevents successful tumor elimination, leading to metastasis and recurrence. Chemoresistance mechanisms are complex, and many factors and pathways are involved. Among these factors, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are critical regulators of GI tumor development and subsequently can induce resistance to chemotherapy. This occurs because ncRNAs can target multiple signaling pathways, affect downstream genes, and modulate proliferation, apoptosis, tumor cell migration, and autophagy. ncRNAs can also induce cancer stem cell features and affect the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Thus, ncRNAs could possibly act as new targets in chemotherapy combinations to treat GI cancer and to predict treatment response.

Keywords: gastrointestinal cancers; non-coding RNAs; response to chemotherapy.

Publication types

Review