Noncoding RNAs in Glioblastoma: Emerging Biological Concepts and Potential Therapeutic Implications

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Since the completion of the Human Genome Project, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have emerged as an important class of genetic regulators. Several classes of ncRNAs, which include microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), have been shown to play important roles in controlling developmental and disease processes. In this article, we discuss the potential roles of ncRNAs in regulating glioblastoma (GBM) formation and progression as well as potential strategies to exploit the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of ncRNAs in GBM. ABSTRACT: Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have emerged as a novel class of genomic regulators, ushering in a new era in molecular biology. With the advent of advanced genetic sequencing technology, several different classes of ncRNAs have been uncovered, including microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), which have been linked to many important developmental and disease processes and are being pursued as clinical and therapeutic targets. Molecular phenotyping studies of glioblastoma (GBM), the most common and lethal cancer of the adult brain, revealed that several ncRNAs are frequently dysregulated in its pathogenesis. Additionally, ncRNAs regulate many important aspects of glioma biology including tumour cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and self-renewal. Here, we present an overview of the biogenesis of the different classes of ncRNAs, discuss their biological roles, as well as their relevance to gliomagenesis. We conclude by discussing potential approaches to therapeutically target the ncRNAs in clinic.