Reciprocal interactions between lncRNAs and MYC in colorectal cancer: partners in crime

Abstract

Abstract Proto-oncogenic MYC is frequently dysregulated in colorectal cancer (CRC). In the past decades, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as important regulators in cancers, acting as scaffolds, molecular decoys, post-transcriptional regulators, and others. Interestingly, lncRNAs are able to control MYC expression both at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. It is suggested that the reciprocal interaction of MYC and lncRNAs often occurs in CRC. MYC can affect the cell fate by promoting or inhibiting the transcription of some lncRNAs. At the same time, some lncRNAs can also affect MYC expression or transcriptional activity, and in turn decide the cell fate. In this review we summarized the current knowledge about the MYC and lncRNA axis, focusing on its mutual regulation, roles in CRC, and proposed potential therapeutic prospects for CRC treatment.