HOTAIR: An Oncogenic Long Non-Coding RNA in Human Cancer

• Published in: Cellular physiology and biochemistry Vol. 47; no. 3; pp. 893 - 913
• Main Authors: Tang, Qing, Hann, Swei Sunny
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland S. Karger AG 01.01.2018; Cell Physiol Biochem Press GmbH & Co KG
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Biomarkers; Bone cancer; Cancers; Cell cycle; Cell growth; Cell Movement; Cell Proliferation; Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; Chromosomes; Epigenetics; Gene expression; HOTAIR; Humans; Leukemia; Long non-coding RNAs; Lung cancer; Metastasis; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasms - genetics; Neoplasms - metabolism; Neoplasms - pathology; Review; RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; RNA, Long Noncoding - genetics; RNA, Long Noncoding - metabolism; RNA, Neoplasm - genetics; RNA, Neoplasm - metabolism; Therapeutic targets; Transcription factors; Transcription, Genetic; HOTAIR; Biomarkers; Long non-coding RNAs; Cancers; Therapeutic targets
• ISSN: 1015-8987; 1421-9778; 1421-9778
• DOI: 10.1159/000490131

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) represent a novel class of noncoding RNAs that are longer than 200 nucleotides without protein-coding potential and function as novel master regulators in various human diseases, including cancer. Accumulating evidence shows that lncRNAs are dysregulated and implicated in various aspects of cellular homeostasis, such as proliferation, apoptosis, mobility, invasion, metastasis, chromatin remodeling, gene transcription, and post-transcriptional processing. However, the mechanisms by which lncRNAs regulate various biological functions in human diseases have yet to be determined. HOX antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) is a recently discovered lncRNA and plays a critical role in various areas of cancer, such as proliferation, survival, migration, drug resistance, and genomic stability. In this review, we briefly introduce the concept, identification, and biological functions of HOTAIR. We then describe the involvement of HOTAIR that has been associated with tumorigenesis, growth, invasion, cancer stem cell differentiation, metastasis, and drug resistance in cancer. We also discuss emerging insights into the role of HOTAIR as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for novel treatment paradigms in cancer.