NR2F1-AS1: A Functional Long Noncoding RNA in Tumorigenesis

Background: NR2F1-AS1 is a long non-coding RNA (lnc RNA) that is involved in different biological processes. It plays an integral role in the pathophysiology of human diseases, especially tumorigenesis and progression. Therefore, it may be a promising target for numerous tumor biotherapeutics. The current review study aimed to show the pathophysiological activities and processes of RNA NR2F1-AS1 in cancer cells. Methods: The contents of the present review were based on information obtained from PubMed. In the data search, “NR2F1-AS1” was chosen as the first keyword, whereas “cancer” was chosen as the second keyword. This review selected and summarized studies published between 2019-2021, concerning the biological functions and mechanisms of NR2F1-AS1 in the development of tumorigenesis. Results: It was found that NR2F1-AS1 regulates a variety of biological activities such as proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis. It acts as an oncogene because it is abnormally expressed and promotes the progression of cancer in a variety of malignancies, including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, neuroblastoma, endometrial cancer, thyroid cancer, and gastric cancer. However, it was evident that NR2F1-AS1 inhibits the progression of cancer in cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Conclusion: NR2F1-AS1 is a potential new biomarker and therapeutic target for the treatment of different cancers.