长链非编码RNA(long non-coding RNA, lncRNA)是一类转录本长度超过200nt、不编码蛋白质的RNA。近年来,随着染色质构象捕获及转录组测序等技术的发展,lncRNA与染色质构象间的关系越来越受到重视。多项研究表明,lncRNA在基因调控网络中具有重要的作用,可通过影响细胞核高级结构的动态变化来调控真核基因的表达。因其广泛的基因调控功能及在肿瘤发生过程中的重要作用,lncRNA被认为是未来肿瘤临床诊断和预后判定的新型标志物之一。本文旨在介绍lncRNA改变细胞核高级结构从而调控关键基因表达的分子机制,并详细介绍lncRNA在肿瘤治疗中的临床意义。

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of non-protein coding transcripts exceeding 200 nucleotides in length. Accumulating evidence achieved by several sophisticated techniques such as chromatin conformation capture and RNA-seq has led to new questions concerning correlations between lncRNAs and chromatin structures. Many studies have revealed that lncRNAs exert great influences on gene expression through regulating chromatin 3D structures. In addition, lncRNAs play a crucial role in tumorigenesis and therefore hold great promises in disease diagnosis and prognosis. Here, we mainly focus on introducing how lncRNAs regulate gene expression by modulating nuclear architecture and discussing clinical values of lncRNAs in oncotherapy.