Modulation of untranslated region alternative polyadenylation in glioma tumorigenesis.

RNA modification is an important form of regulation in cancer biology, that is capable of affecting cell proliferation, migration, other genetic characteristics of tumors, and protein expression. Recent research has shown that dysregulation of RNA modification plays an important role in glioma pathogenesis. A key form of RNA post-transcriptional modification, alternative polyadenylation (APA), may represent a mechanism by which genes escape miRNA-mediated inhibition of cancer. Global shortening of 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR)-mediated APA events have become a potential novel marker of cancer progression. Current treatments in which a single gene or pathway is targeted do not have significant therapeutic benefits for glioma patients, while strategies that are less targeted, in which inhibitors of major regulatory hubs such as APA regulators are utilized, may have superior therapeutic effects. However, the precise mechanisms by which untranslated region-alternative polyadenylation (UTR-APA) regulates glioma are poorly understood. In the present review, we will discuss the important roles of UTR-APA in glioma. In addition to the role of APA in the progression of glioma, we will also explore potential treatment options that target these processes to improve the prognosis of glioma patients.