ABSTRACT
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), accounting for more than 80% of all cases, is the predominant form of lung cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Significant progress has been made in diagnostic techniques, surgical interventions, chemotherapy protocols, and targeted therapies at the molecular level, leading to enhanced treatment outcomes in patients with NSCLC. Extensive evidence supports the use of circular RNAs (circRNAs), a specific category of naturally occurring non-coding small RNAs (ncRNAs), for the diagnosis, monitoring of treatment efficacy, and assessment of survival in NSCLC. CircRNAs have been identified to play significant roles in various aspects of cancer formation, either as tumor suppressors or tumor promoters, contributing to cancer development through several signaling pathways, including the phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) pathway. This pathway is well-established because of its regulatory role in essential cellular processes. CircRNAs regulate the PI3K/AKT pathway by targeting diverse cellular elements. This review aims to provide insight into the involvement of several circRNAs linked to the PI3K/AKT pathway in NSCLC.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung , Lung Neoplasms , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases , RNA, Circular , Signal Transduction , Humans , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/genetics , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology , RNA, Circular/genetics , Lung Neoplasms/genetics , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Signal Transduction/genetics , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticABSTRACT
Circular RNAs (CircRNAs) are a class of regulatory RNA transcripts, which are ubiquitously expressed in eukaryotes. CircRNA dysregulation has been shown to disrupt the interaction of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, which regulates several biological processes involved in tumorigenesis, thereby contributing to the development and progression of cancer. Interactions of tumor-derived circRNAs with the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway provide both clinical diagnostic biomarkers and promising therapeutic targets. In this review, we outlined current evidence on the roles of circRNAs associated with the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway in regulating lung cancer formation and development. We believe that our findings will assist in the advancement or establishment of circRNA-based lung cancer therapeutic approaches.
