New functions of long noncoding RNAs during EMT and tumor progression

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is orchestrated by aberrant activation of EMT transcription factors and expression of downstream target genes resulting in increased tumor initiation, metastatic potential, and therapeutic resistance. In this issue of Cancer Research, Wang and colleagues show that the long noncoding RNA SATB2-AS1 is dysregulated in colorectal carcinoma and correlates with poor survival and prognosis. They present a new functional mechanism illustrating how the SATB2-AS1–SATB2–Snail axis is involved in epigenetic modification that regulates colorectal carcinoma progression.