Emerging Roles of lncRNA MSC-AS1 in Cancer: Molecular Mechanisms, Clinical Implications, and Therapeutic Potential

Authors

  • Mohsen Mir Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
  • Asel Kurbanbayeva Associate Professor, Doctor of Philosophy in Pedagogical Sciences, Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection of Nukus State Technical University, Uzbekistan.
  • Mukhayya Ruzieva Department of sport and psychology, Mamun university, Khiva Uzbekistan.
  • Murodjon Yaxshimuratov Department of Chemistry, Urgench State University, Urgench Uzbekistan.
  • Otabek Mirzayev Teacher, Department of Transport Systems, Urgench State University named after Abu Rayhan Biruni, Urgench, Republic of Uzbekistan.
  • Dora Khadieva Assistаnt of the Department of “Infectious Diseases and Infectious Diseases of Children”, Bukhara State Medical Institute Named after Abu Ali Ibn Sino, Bukhara, Uzbekistan.
  • Mohammadreza Ebrahimzade Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
  • Soroosh Hamzeh Iran University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tehran, Iran.

Keywords:

Keywords: LncRNA, MSC-AS1, Cancer biomarker, Precision oncology, Therapeutic resistance, Tumor progression

Abstract

 

Overview: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are key regulators of tumor biology, affecting proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and treatment resistance. Among them, Musculin Antisense RNA 1 (MSC-AS1) has attracted increasing attention for its oncogenic roles across multiple cancers. This review summarizes current knowledge on MSC-AS1, emphasizing molecular mechanisms, clinical relevance, and therapeutic potential.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science identified studies published 2015–2024 that investigated MSC-AS1 in cancer. Eligible articles examined its functional roles, implicated signaling pathways, regulatory interactions (e.g., lncRNA–miRNA–mRNA axes), and diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic implications.

Results: Evidence consistently shows that MSC-AS1 is frequently upregulated in gastric, hepatic, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers. Mechanistically, MSC-AS1 contributes to tumor progression mainly through lncRNA–miRNA–mRNA regulatory networks, promoting malignant phenotypes and therapeutic resistance. Clinically, elevated MSC-AS1 expression correlates with poor prognosis, supporting its utility as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis and as a candidate target for precision oncology.

Conclusion: MSC-AS1 functions as an oncogenic lncRNA across multiple gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary malignancies, driving disease through competitive regulatory networks and associating with adverse outcomes and resistance. Current evidence positions MSC-AS1 as a promising biomarker and a potential therapeutic target; future work should validate its clinical performance and evaluate targeted interventions against MSC-AS1-mediated pathways.

 

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Published

2025-10-26

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 4 (2025)

Section

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis:

License

 West Asia Organization for Cabcer Prevention retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License 4 (This permits anyone to copy, distribute, transmit and adapt the published work, provided the original work and source are appropriately cited).