Long non coding RNA and Cancer (DSB.AD001.176)

Thematic area

Biomedical sciences

Project area

Structure responsible for the research project

Istituto di Biochimica e Biologia Cellulare (IBBC)

Project manager

GIOVINA RUBERTI
Phone number: 0690091
Email: giovina.ruberti@cnr.it

Abstract

LncRNAs are non protein-coding transcripts longer than 200 nt, highly conserved in evolution with a regulated expression. lncRNAs are involved in many cell processes and function by forming complexes with proteins or nucleic acids, both inside and outside the nucleus, acting as regulators of gene expression at epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels. For this their relevant function in cells, lncRNAs disfunctions play important roles in various cancers.

Our group generated and characterized a Non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cellular model of resistance to EGFR-TKi. The gene expression profiling of our cell lines, followed by a focused bioinformatics analysis of data of NSCLC patient tumours of the The Cancer Genome Atlas, spotlighted a set of lncRNAs differentially expressed between drug-resistant and -sensitive NSCLC cell lines. A combination of in silico and wet approaches is currently used to validate and functionally characterize the novel lncRNAs associated to epithelial-mesenchymal intermediate phenotypes and/or to target drug-resistance in NSCLC.

Goals

- Identification of lncRNA differentially expressed in NSCLC cell lines sensitive and resistant to EGFR inhibitors;
- Identification of lncRNA differentially expressed in NSCLC cell lines epithelial-mesenchymal intermediate phenotypes;
- Functional characterization of selected lncRNA.

Start date of activity

20/11/2020

Keywords

Lung cancer, LncRNAs, EMT

Last update: 19/09/2024