Current insight into a cancer-implicated long noncoding RNA ZFAS1 and correlative functional mechanisms involved

Abstract Objectives A vast of transcripts have been found aberrantly expressed in cancers functioning as mechanical factors. The association between the deregulation of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and clinicopathologic features is one of the most investigated in this field, and many lncRNAs have already been revealed to be potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets. Zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAS1) has been found one promising lncRNA, initially discovered downregulated in human breast cancer and could regulate alveolar development and epithelial cell differentiation in mice mammary gland, however the subsequent investigation provided inverse outcomes as overexpressed in other human cancers. Further excavation of this transcript indicated that ZFAS1 could function as oncogenic factor via many approaches to contribute to the advance of cancers, including induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, sponging microRNAs, destabilization p53 gene and many others. Materials and Methods In this work, we summarized current evidence regarding the biological functions and mechanisms of ZFAS1 in human cancers. The related studies were obtained through a systematic search of PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library. Results LncRNA ZFAS1 is one cancer-implicated product with multiple functional mechanisms, and its potential clinical values is gradually unfolded in many types of cancers, including breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, glioma, ovarian cancer and many others. Conclusion The multi-mechanisms of lncRNA ZFAS1 fertilizes its role of potential clinical biomarkers and therapeutic targets.