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JRPMS Vol 8, No 4, December 2024, p.134-141

doi: 10.22540/JRPMS-08-134

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Review Article

The Role of ncRNA AND miRNA in the Prognosis of Rhabdomyosarcoma

Vaia Grigoriou1, George I. Lambrou1,2,3,4

  1. Postgraduate Program “Metabolic Bones Diseases”, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece
  2. Laboratory for the Research of the Musculoskeletal System “Th. Garofalidis”, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece
  3. Choremeio Research Laboratory, First Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
  4. University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

Keywords: Circular RNA, Long non-coding RNA, miRNA, Non-coding RNA, Rhabdomyosarcoma

Abstract

Rhabdomyosarcoma is an aggressive type of pediatric soft tissue cancer, characterized by the abnormal growth of skeletal muscle cells. The prognosis of patients with rhabdomyosarcoma depends on tumor subtype, tumor size and location, staging, patient age, coexisting gene mutations, and response to therapy. Despite advances in treatment modalities, the prognosis for rhabdomyosarcoma patients remains variable, and better prognostic markers are needed to guide therapeutic decisions. Non-coding RNAs and microRNAs have recently been extensively studied in cancer development and progression. The decreased expression of tumor suppressor microRNAs, such as microRNA-206, microRNA-1, microRNA-29b, microRNA-133, microRNA-28-3p, microRNA-193a, microRNA-450b-5p, microRNA-221, microRNA-324-5p, microRNA-378-3p, microRNA-26 and microRNA-7, which inhibit cancer cell multiplication, migration and invasiveness, have been associated with poor prognosis. A corresponding adverse prognosis is observed in overexpression of several oncogenic microRNAs, such as microRNA-9, microRNA-223, microRNA-486-5p and microRNA-130a/b. Overexpression of long non-coding RNA H19 in rhabdomyosarcoma, mainly embryonal, is associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis. Finally, two circular RNAs have been implicated in the pathophysiology of rhabdomyosarcoma. circ-ZNF609 regulates myoblast proliferation and has been shown to be elevated in both major subtypes of rhabdomyosarcoma. circVAMP3 has been observed to be significantly overexpressed in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma Rh4 cells in comparison to normal myoblasts. Overexpression of both circular RNAs is associated with adverse disease progression.