LncRNA HOXA10-AS as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target in human cancers

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial regulatory molecules that participate in numerous cellular development processes, and they have gathered much interest recently. HOXA10 antisense RNA (HOXA10-AS, also known as HOXA-AS4) is a novel lncRNA that was identified to be dysregulated in some prevalent malignancies. In this review, the clinical significance of HOXA10-AS for the prognosis of various cancers is analyzed. In addition, the major advances in our understanding of the cellular biological functions and mechanisms of HOXA10-AS in different human cancers are summarized. These cancers include esophageal carcinoma (ESCA), gastric cancer (GC), glioma, laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and pancreatic cancer. We also note that the aberrant expression of HOXA10-AS promotes malignant progression through various underlying mechanisms. In conclusion, HOXA10-AS is expected to serve as an ideal clinical biomarker and an effective cancer therapy target.