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Copyright ©The Author(s) 2017. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 28, 2017; 23(32): 5860-5874
Published online Aug 28, 2017. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i32.5860
Long non-coding RNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma: Potential roles and clinical implications
Zhao-Shan Niu, Xiao-Jun Niu, Wen-Hong Wang
Zhao-Shan Niu, Laboratory of Micromorphology, School of Basic Medicine, Medical Department of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
Xiao-Jun Niu, Oncology Specialty, Medical Department of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
Wen-Hong Wang, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Medical Department of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
Author contributions: Niu ZS designed the study, wrote and edited the manuscript; Niu XJ revised the manuscript; Niu XJ and Wang WH searched the scientific literature for the latest developments in the field.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interests.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Zhao-Shan Niu, MD, Laboratory of Micromorphology, School of Basic Medicine, Medical Department of Qingdao University, Room 201, Building Boya, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China. z.s.niu@qdu.edu.cn
Telephone: +86-532-83780012 Fax: +86-532-83780012
Received: March 18, 2017
Peer-review started: March 21, 2017
First decision: April 26, 2017
Revised: May 10, 2017
Accepted: July 22, 2017
Article in press: July 24, 2017
Published online: August 28, 2017
Processing time: 162 Days and 21.6 Hours
Abstract

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a subgroup of non-coding RNA transcripts greater than 200 nucleotides in length with little or no protein-coding potential. Emerging evidence indicates that lncRNAs may play important regulatory roles in the pathogenesis and progression of human cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Certain lncRNAs may be used as diagnostic or prognostic markers for HCC, a serious malignancy with increasing morbidity and high mortality rates worldwide. Therefore, elucidating the functional roles of lncRNAs in tumors can contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of HCC and may help in developing novel therapeutic targets. In this review, we summarize the recent progress regarding the functional roles of lncRNAs in HCC and explore their clinical implications as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers and molecular therapeutic targets for HCC.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; Long non-coding RNAs; Function; Biomarker; Therapeutic target

Core tip: Emerging evidence indicates that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) may play important regulatory roles in the pathogenesis and progression of human cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, elucidating the functional roles of lncRNAs in tumors can contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of HCC and may help in developing novel therapeutic targets. In this review, we summarize the recent progress regarding the functional roles of lncRNAs in HCC and explore their clinical implications as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers and molecular therapeutic targets for HCC.