Long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) have historically been ignored in cancer biology. However, thousands of lincRNAs have been identified in mammals using recently developed genomic tools, including microarray and high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). Several of the lincRNAs identified have been well characterized for their functions in carcinogenesis.
Here a team led by researchers at the Medical Genomics Research Center, KRIBB, Republic of Korea performed RNA-seq experiments comparing gastric cancer with normal tissues to find differentially expressed transcripts in intergenic regions. By analyzing their own RNA-seq and public microarray data, they identified 31 transcripts, including a known expressed sequence tag, BM742401. BM742401 was downregulated in cancer, and its downregulation was associated with poor survival in gastric cancer patients. Ectopic overexpression of BM742401 inhibited metastasis-related phenotypes and decreased the concentration of extracellular MMP9. These results suggest that BM742401 is a potential lincRNA marker and therapeutic target.
- Park SM, Park SJ, Kim HJ, Kwon OH, Kang TW, Sohn HA, Kim SK, Moo Noh S, Song KS, Jang SJ, Sung Kim Y, Kim SY. (2013) A known expressed sequence tag, BM742401, is a potent lincRNA inhibiting cancer metastasis. Exp Mol Med 45, e31. [article]