Advances in Pathophysiology of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: The Potential of lncRNAs for Clinical Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prognostic Monitoring

Mol Biotechnol. 2021 Dec;63(12):1093-1102. doi: 10.1007/s12033-021-00368-x. Epub 2021 Jul 10.

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in several gene expression regulation processes, including epigenetic regulation, transcriptional regulation, post-transcriptional regulation, and translation regulation. It also plays a crucial role in the regulation of several characteristics of cancer biology, and the dysregulation of lncRNA expression in cancer may be part of the cause of cancer progression. Meanwhile, more and more studies are trying to determine the association between lncRNA expression and TNBC, as well as the functional role and molecular mechanism of the abnormally expressed lncRNA. Therefore, this review lists some abnormal lncRNAs in TNBC, further analyzes their molecular mechanisms and biological roles in the development of TNBC, and summarizes the potential of lncRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets of TNBC, so as to provide ideas for clinical diagnosis, targeted therapy, and prognosis monitoring of TNBC.

Keywords: Biomarker; Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA); Therapeutic target; Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics*
  • Early Detection of Cancer
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy
  • Prognosis
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics*
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / genetics

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • RNA, Long Noncoding