Long non-coding RNAs as the pivotal regulators of epithelial mesenchymal transition through WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway in tumor cells

Abstract

Tumor cell invasion is considered as one of the main therapeutic challenges in cancer patients, which leads to distant metastasis and reduced prognosis. Therefore, investigation of the factors involved in tumor cell invasion improves the therapeutic methods to reduce tumor metastasis. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process has a pivotal role in tumor cell invasion and metastasis, during which tumor cells gain the invasive ability by losing epithelial characteristics and acquiring mesenchymal characteristics. WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway has a key role in tumor cell invasion by regulation of EMT process. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have also an important role in EMT process through the regulation of WNT/β-catenin pathway. Deregulation of lncRNAs is associated with tumor metastasis in different tumor types. Therefore, in the present review, we investigated the role of lncRNAs in EMT process and tumor cell invasion through the regulation of WNT/β-catenin pathway. It has been reported that lncRNAs mainly induced the EMT process and tumor cell invasion through the activation of WNT/β-catenin pathway. LncRNAs that regulate the WNT/β-catenin mediated EMT process can be introduced as the prognostic markers as well as suitable therapeutic targets to reduce the tumor metastasis in cancer patients.