Review
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 14, 2024; 30(2): 115-127
Published online Jan 14, 2024. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i2.115
Small nucleolar RNA and its potential role in the oncogenesis and development of colorectal cancer
Yang-Zheng Lan, Zheng Wu, Wen-Jia Chen, Ze-Xuan Fang, Xin-Ning Yu, Hua-Tao Wu, Jing Liu
Yang-Zheng Lan, Zheng Wu, Wen-Jia Chen, Ze-Xuan Fang, Jing Liu, The Breast Center, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, Guangdong Province, China
Xin-Ning Yu, Hua-Tao Wu, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Liu J and Lan YZ designed this study; Lan YZ, Wu Z, Chen WJ, and Fang ZX searched the publication; Lan YZ, Wu Z, Chen WJ, Fang ZX, Yu XN, Wu HT, and Liu J interpreted the results, constructed the structure of the review, and prepared the tables; Lan YZ prepared the draft of the manuscript; Lan YZ and Wu Z prepared the figures; Liu J revised the manuscript critically; and all authors have read and approve the final manuscript.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82273457; Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, No. 2021A1515012180 and No. 2023A1515012762; Special Grant for Key Area Programs of Guangdong Department of Education, No. 2021ZDZX2040; and Science and Technology Special Project of Guangdong Province, No. 210715216902829.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Jing Liu, MD, PhD, Academic Research, Associate Professor, Research Scientist, Senior Scientist, The Breast Center, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, No. 22 Xinling Road, Shantou 515041, Guangdong Province, China. jliu12@stu.edu.cn
Received: November 20, 2023
Peer-review started: November 20, 2023
First decision: December 11, 2023
Revised: December 21, 2023
Accepted: December 28, 2023
Article in press: December 28, 2023
Published online: January 14, 2024
Abstract

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) represent a class of non-coding RNAs that play pivotal roles in post-transcriptional RNA processing and modification, thereby contributing significantly to the maintenance of cellular functions related to protein synthesis. SnoRNAs have been discovered to possess the ability to influence cell fate and alter disease progression, holding immense potential in controlling human diseases. It is suggested that the dysregulation of snoRNAs in cancer exhibits differential expression across various cancer types, stages, metastasis, treatment response and/or prognosis in patients. On the other hand, colorectal cancer (CRC), a prevalent malignancy of the digestive system, is characterized by high incidence and mortality rates, ranking as the third most common cancer type. Recent research indicates that snoRNA dysregulation is associated with CRC, as snoRNA expression significantly differs between normal and cancerous conditions. Consequently, assessing snoRNA expression level and function holds promise for the prognosis and diagnosis of CRC. Nevertheless, current comprehension of the potential roles of snoRNAs in CRC remains limited. This review offers a comprehensive survey of the aberrant regulation of snoRNAs in CRC, providing valuable insights into the discovery of novel biomarkers, therapeutic targets, and potential tools for the diagnosis and treatment of CRC and furnishing critical cues for advancing research into CRC and the judicious selection of therapeutic targets.

Keywords: Small nucleolar RNAs, Colorectal cancer, Dysregulation, Biomarker

Core Tip: Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) play vital roles in post-transcriptional RNA processing, influencing the cell fate and diverse disease progression. Dysregulated snoRNAs in various cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC), show promise for improving prognosis and diagnosis. Despite this potential, understanding of snoRNAs’ roles in CRC remains limited, warranting further research into their precise functions.