From transcriptional noise to tumor regulators: The role of long non-coding RNAs in thyroid cancer

From transcriptional noise to tumor regulators

Abstract

Thyroid cancer incidence has been reported to increase eminently in India in recent years with a significant preponderance in the females, highlighting the urgent need for deeper insights into its molecular mechanisms to improve diagnosis and treatment. While conventional genetic alterations have been widely studied, increasing evidence points to the vital role of non-coding RNAs especially long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the pathogenesis and progression of thyroid malignancies. These lncRNAs influence various cellular processes, including proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion, primarily through interactions with microRNAs, proteins, and DNA. This review focuses on specific lncRNAs SNHG3, LINC00152, LUCAT1, UCA1, FER1L4, FALEC, and LINC01315 that are dysregulated in thyroid cancer. These molecules are involved in critical signaling pathways such as the AKT/mTOR/ERK, TGF-β, and IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 pathways. Moreover, they function as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), binding to and sequestering tumor-suppressive microRNAs, leading to the upregulation of oncogenes. Understanding these mechanisms provides valuable insights into thyroid tumor biology. Targeting these lncRNAs may offer promising therapeutic approaches and enhance the development of molecular markers for prognosis and treatment response. This review aims to highlight the emerging importance of lncRNAs in thyroid cancer and their potential as novel molecular tools in clinical oncology.