Kolenda Tomasz, Paszkowska Anna, Braska Alicja, Kozłowska-Masłoń Joanna, Guglas Kacper, Poter Paulina, Wojtczak Piotr, Bliźniak Renata, Lamperska Katarzyna, Teresiak Anna
Laboratory of Cancer Genetics, Greater Poland Cancer Center, Poznan, Poland.
Research and Implementation Unit, Greater Poland Cancer Center, Poznan, Poland.
Rep Pract Oncol Radiother. 2023 Apr 6;28(1):114-134. doi: 10.5603/RPOR.a2023.0006. eCollection 2023.
Epigenetics is the changes in a cellular phenotype without changes in the genotype. This term is not limited only to the modification of chromatin and DNA but also relates to some RNAs, like non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), both short and long RNAs (lncRNAs) acting as molecular modifiers. Mobile RNAs, as a free form or encapsulated in exosomes, can regulate neighboring cells or be placed in distant locations. It underlines the vast capacity of ncRNAs as epigenetic elements of transmission information and message of life. One of the amazing phenomena is long non-coding microRNA-host-genes (lnc-MIRHGs) whose processed transcripts function as lncRNAs and also as short RNAs named microRNAs (miRNAs). MIR31HG functions as a modulator of important biological and cellular processes including cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, EMT process, metastasis, angiogenesis, hypoxia, senescence, and inflammation. However, in most cases, the role of MIR31HG is documented only by one study and there is a lack of exact description of molecular pathways implicated in these processes, and for some of them, such as response to irradiation, no studies have been done. In this review, MIR31HG, as an example of lnc-MIRHGs, was described in the context of its known function and its potential uses as a biomarker in oncology.
表观遗传学是指细胞表型发生变化而基因型不变的现象。这个术语不仅限于染色质和DNA的修饰，还与一些RNA有关，比如非编码RNA（ncRNA），包括短链和长链RNA（lncRNA），它们都起着分子修饰剂的作用。移动RNA以游离形式或包裹在外泌体中，可以调节邻近细胞或作用于远处的细胞。这凸显了ncRNA作为生命信息传递的表观遗传元件的巨大能力。其中一个令人惊奇的现象是长链非编码微小RNA宿主基因（lnc-MIRHG），其加工后的转录本既可以作为lncRNA发挥作用，也可以作为名为微小RNA（miRNA）的短链RNA发挥作用。MIR31HG作为重要生物和细胞过程的调节因子，参与细胞增殖、凋亡、细胞周期调控、上皮-间质转化过程、转移、血管生成、缺氧、衰老和炎症等过程。然而，在大多数情况下，MIR31HG的作用仅在一项研究中得到记载，对于这些过程中涉及的分子途径缺乏确切描述，而且对于其中一些过程，如辐射反应，尚未开展相关研究。在本综述中，以MIR31HG为例，阐述了lnc-MIRHG的已知功能及其在肿瘤学中作为生物标志物的潜在用途。
