Long non-coding RNAs are involved in the crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor cells

Chenbo Yang; Jiao Shu; Yiwei Li; Na Zhao; Xiaonan Liu; Xiangyu Tian; Zexin Sun; Muhammad Saud Tabish; Yichen Hong; Kuisheng Chen; Miaomiao Sun

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2024.1469918

Long non-coding RNAs are involved in the crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor cells

Front Immunol. 2024 Dec 9:15:1469918. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1469918. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Chenbo Yang^{1

2}, Jiao Shu^{1

2}, Yiwei Li^{1

2

3}, Na Zhao^{1

2}, Xiaonan Liu^{1

2}, Xiangyu Tian^{1

2}, Zexin Sun^{1

2

3}, Muhammad Saud Tabish^{1

2}, Yichen Hong^{1

2

3}, Kuisheng Chen^{1

2}, Miaomiao Sun^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
² Henan Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
³ Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

Abstract

The proliferation of tumors is not merely self-regulated by the cancer cells but is also intrinsically connected to the tumor microenvironment (TME). Within this complex TME, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are pivotal in the modulation of tumor onset and progression. Rich signaling interactions exist between CAFs and tumor cells, which are crucial for tumor regulation. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) emerge from cellular transcription as a class of functionally diverse RNA molecules. Recent studies have revealed that LncRNAs are integral to the crosstalk between CAFs and tumor cells, with the capacity to modify cellular transcriptional activity and secretion profiles, thus facilitating CAFs activation, tumor proliferation, metastasis, drug resistance, and other related functionalities. This comprehensive review revisits the latest research on LncRNA-mediated interactions between CAFs and tumor cells, encapsulates the biological roles of LncRNAs, and delves into the molecular pathways from a broader perspective, aspiring to offer novel perspectives for a deeper comprehension of the etiology of tumors and the enhancement of therapeutic approaches.

Keywords: cancer-associated fibroblasts; long non-coding RNAs; signaling pathway; tumor growth; tumor microenvironment.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts* / metabolism
Cell Communication
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
Humans
Neoplasms* / genetics
Neoplasms* / metabolism
Neoplasms* / pathology
RNA, Long Noncoding* / genetics
Signal Transduction
Tumor Microenvironment* / genetics

Substances

RNA, Long Noncoding

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The present study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 82070222 and 82370208) and the Training Program for Young and Middle−aged Health Science and Technology Innovation Leaders in Henan Province (grant no. YXKC2022015).