Current Advances on the Important Roles of Enhancer RNAs in Gene Regulation and Cancer

Biomed Res Int. 2018 May 22:2018:2405351. doi: 10.1155/2018/2405351. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Revealing the gene regulation networks governing cancer initiation and development is necessary while it remains uncompleted. In recent years, enhancers have been reported to be widely transcribed, resulting in the generation of enhancer RNAs (eRNAs). Previous studies have reported that eRNAs are a subclass of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which play a critical role in gene regulation and cancer development. These eRNAs can promote enhancer-promoter (E-P) looping formation by binding to other protein factors or propel expression of downstream protein-coding gene. In this review, we have focused on the characteristics of eRNAs and illustrated the biological function and potential mechanism of eRNAs in regulating gene expression and cancer development.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic*
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • RNA, Long Noncoding