Expression Alternation and Function of Long non Coding RNAs in Gallbladder Cancer

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a highly aggressive and fatal disease with a generally poor prognosis. It was first documented in ۱۷۷۷, yet improving the survival rates for GBC patients continues to be a significant challenge. Although recent progress has been made in both the understanding and treatment of GBC, the overall outlook remains bleak, with a notably low ۵-year survival rate. One key factor contributing to this poor prognosis is the fact that GBC is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, as early-stage patients typically show little to no symptoms. Curative resection is the most widely used approach for treating gallbladder cancer patients. However, only a small proportion of patients actually benefit from this procedure. The highly lethal nature of GBC highlights the urgent need to better understand the underlying mechanisms of its carcinogenesis, which remain largely unknown. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as crucial regulators of gene expression, playing significant roles in various human cancers. Defined as sequences longer than ۲۰۰ nucleotides, lncRNAs are involved in a range of normal and pathological biological processes. Functional studies indicate that lncRNAs interact with both oncoproteins and tumor suppressors to influence key cancer-related functions, including cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, stemness, and resistance to treatment. To date, several lncRNAs have been identified as being implicated in gallbladder cancer (GBC). lncRNAs exhibit different expression levels in T۱ and T۲ tumor stages compared to T۳ and T۴ stages. This dysregulation can disrupt cell cycle progression, leading to increased proliferation and apoptosis of GBC cells. Additionally, some lncRNAs play a role in regulating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, while others are involved in ERK/MAPK . Their potential applications in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of gallbladder cancer are briefly mentioned. This present paper will address different lncRNAs that may promote malignant phenotypic characteristics in GBC cells, as well as those that could serve as markers due to their potential to predict a poor prognosis in GBC patients.