Pivotal role of long non-coding RNA in the development of new therapeutic approaches for plural mesothelioma

Our plain-English summary of Pivotal role of long non-coding RNA in the development of new therapeutic approaches for plural mesothelioma, by C.J. Kiriacos, D.M. Elkahwagy, M. Mansour (Discover Oncology, 2026).

The study

• Authors: C.J. Kiriacos, D.M. Elkahwagy, M. Mansour
• Journal: Discover Oncology
• Published: 2026;17(1)
• Type of article: Review
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

Abstract

Pleural mesothelioma is a rare aggressive tumor that affects the parietal layer of the pleura. It constitutes 90% of mesotheliomas. Usually, the diagnosis takes place 30 to 40 years after asbestos exposure. Thus, patients are diagnosed at a very late stage, leading to a poor prognosis, with a low median survival rate of approximately one year and a 5-year survival rate of only 5%. The available treatment usually consists of a multimodal approach, including chemotherapy (platinum-based drugs and antifolates), surgery, and radiotherapy. Yet, new therapeutic approaches are still needed to achieve higher survival rates. Long non-coding RNAs are transcripts of more than 200 nucleotides and have been proven to participate in various cellular processes and biological mechanisms. Upon dysregulation, many biological pathways can be affected, initiating cancers or even promoting their aggressiveness. These non-coding RNAs have been studied for their therapeutic potential in various cancers. The role of long non-coding RNAs in PM, whether in regulating pathogenicity or as potential therapeutic targets, requires further investigation. This review highlights the role of lncRNAs in PM pathogenesis and their potential as therapeutic targets.

In plain English

This article was a review rather than a new study; the authors stated that no datasets were generated or analysed. It surveyed published research on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in pleural mesothelioma and their possible use as treatment targets. LncRNAs are RNA molecules longer than 200 nucleotides that do not code for proteins. Asbestos appeared only as background, and the review did not examine fiber types or exposures. The authors summarized other researchers' reports that several lncRNAs, including MALAT1, SNHG8 and POT1-AS1, were overexpressed in pleural mesothelioma tissues and cell lines, while CASC2, described as a tumor suppressor, showed lower expression. The authors wrote that laboratory studies targeting PVT1, MALAT1 and LINC00152 in cell cultures could inhibit the growth, migration and invasion of mesothelioma cells. The review noted that no clinical trials for pleural mesothelioma directly targeted lncRNAs. It also reported that an antisense oligonucleotide targeting MALAT1, FLM-7523, was advancing toward Phase 1 trials in solid tumors. The authors concluded that treating pleural mesothelioma using lncRNAs was still in its infancy and that their roles in the disease had not been fully elucidated.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Review of published research (no original data collected or analysed)
• Who was studied: No study population of its own. The review drew on previously published studies of pleural mesothelioma cell lines, tumor tissues, patient plasma and public sequencing data (TCGA). It did not describe how the literature was searched or selected.
• Exposure: Not studied. Asbestos is mentioned only as background, as the cause of the long latency before diagnosis. The subject of the review is lncRNA expression and its targeting, not fiber types or exposure doses.
• Main results:
  • Summarizing other studies, the review reported that MALAT1, SNHG8 and POT1-AS1 have been identified as overexpressed in pleural mesothelioma tissues and cell lines.
  • The review described CASC2 as a tumor-suppressor lncRNA with lower expression in pleural mesothelioma.
  • Citing an earlier study, the review reported that the chromosomal region containing the CASC2 gene was lost in 37% of human mesothelioma cells obtained from patients.
  • Citing an earlier laboratory study, the review reported that reducing LINC00152 in mesothelioma cell lines inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion.
  • Citing earlier analyses, the review reported that H19 overexpression in pleural mesothelioma was associated with worse overall survival.
  • Citing an earlier study, the review reported that MALAT1 levels were higher in the plasma of epithelioid pleural mesothelioma patients than in healthy volunteers.
  • The review found no clinical trials for pleural mesothelioma that directly target lncRNAs. It reported that FLM-7523, an antisense oligonucleotide targeting MALAT1, was advancing toward Phase 1 trials in solid tumors.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that treating pleural mesothelioma using lncRNAs is still in its infancy and that the roles of lncRNAs in the disease have not been fully elucidated. They also wrote that laboratory studies suggest targeting PVT1, MALAT1 and LINC00152 can inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of mesothelioma cells.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The authors stated that research on lncRNA-targeting therapies for pleural mesothelioma is mainly preclinical.
  • The authors stated there is no direct evidence that PCAT6 has diagnostic or prognostic value in pleural mesothelioma. Its suggested role was extrapolated from lung cancer studies.
  • The authors stated that too few studies were available on H19 and its role in pleural mesothelioma.

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Mesothelioma, Pleural Mesothelioma, Pleura, Asbestos Exposure, Prognosis, Median Overall Survival, Chemotherapy, Antifolate.

Related studies

• GAS5 long non-coding RNA in malignant pleural mesothelioma — A. Renganathan, J. Kresoja-Rakic, et al. (2014)
• Long non coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are dysregulated in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) — C.M. Wright, M.B. Kirschner, et al. (2013)
• Circulating long non-coding RNA GAS5 (growth arrest-specific transcript 5) as a complement marker for the detection of malignant mesothelioma using liquid biopsies — D.G. Weber, S. Casjens, et al. (2020)
• Regulator of G Protein Signaling 20 Correlates with Long Intergenic Non-Coding RNA (lincRNAs) Harboring Oncogenic Potential and Is Markedly Upregulated in Hepatocellular Carcinoma — Y. Wang, M.F. Setiawan, et al. (2022)
• Asbestos-induced chronic inflammation in malignant pleural mesothelioma and related therapeutic approaches-a narrative review — A.A. Zolondick, G. Gaudino, et al. (2021)
• Targeting microRNA to improve diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for malignant mesothelioma — K.A. Birnie, C.M. Prêle, et al. (2017)

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