Function and Mechanism of Small Nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) and Their Host Genes (SNHGs) in Malignant Tumors

TL;DR

This paper explores how snoRNAs and SNHGs contribute to cancer development and progression, and their potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Contribution

The study reviews the oncogenic roles and signaling networks of snoRNAs and SNHGs in various cancers, identifying new research directions.

Findings

snoRNAs and SNHGs influence tumor progression through RNA modification, signaling, and epigenetic regulation.

They modulate cancer cell behaviors like proliferation and metastasis via ceRNA and epigenetic mechanisms.

snoRNAs and SNHGs show cancer-specific roles in glioblastoma and breast cancer, impacting prognosis and treatment.

Abstract

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) and their host genes (SNHGs) are non-coding RNAs that are integral to tumorigenesis and progression. snoRNAs contribute to tumor progression primarily through RNA modification and engagement in intracellular signaling, and by serving as precursors for small nucleolar RNA-derived RNAs (sdRNAs) that exert microRNA (miRNA)-like or epigenetic regulatory functions. SNHGs modulate key tumor cell behaviors—including proliferation, metastasis, and resistance to therapy—through competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA)-mediated interactions and epigenetic mechanisms. Their combined influence significantly impacts patient prognosis. Across diverse malignancies such as neurologic, bone, and head and neck cancers, snoRNAs and SNHGs exhibit cancer-specific regulatory dynamics; for instance, in glioblastoma, snoRNAs and their derived fragments (sdRNAs) contribute to intratumoral heterogeneity by mediating both metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic remodeling, while their mediated modulation of cellular proliferation and metastatic potential is evident in breast cancer. Concurrently, several snoRNAs and SNHGs have emerged as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, as well as therapeutic targets. Preclinical interventions targeting select snoRNAs or SNHGs have demonstrated promising therapeutic outcomes. This study reviews current insights into the oncogenic functions and signaling networks associated with dysregulated snoRNAs and SNHGs in malignancies, while highlighting novel avenues for future investigation in this domain.

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