Mechanisms of Epigenetic Factors Involvement in Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer (BC) is associated with different biomarkers in the human genome, many of which are located in intergenic, regulatory, and intronic regions where non-coding RNA genes and transposable elements are located. Therefore, the discovered associations affect the development of BC by changing the activity of non-coding RNA and transposable elements of the genome. This is reflected in DNA methylation changes, since microRNAs (miRNAs) serve as guides for RNA-dependent DNA methylation, and transcripts of retroelements are competing endogenous RNAs against miRNAs. Analysis of scientific literature showed the involvement of a large number of long non-coding RNAs and miRNAs in BC development. These molecules can act as both oncogenes and tumor suppressors depending on their target genes. A combined effect of long non-coding RNAs and miRNAs (TINCR/miR7, RP11-89/miR-129-5p, CASC11/miR-150, LUCAT1/miR-181c-5p, KCNQ1OT1/miR-218-5p, GAS6-AS6/miR-298, BCCE4/miR-328-3p, KCNMB2-AS1/miR-374a, SNHG1/miR-493, TUG1/miR-582-5p, UCA1/miR-582-5p, LINC00958/miR-625, DDX11-AS1/miR-2355-5p, ARAP1-AS1/miR-3918, BACH1-IT2/miR-4786) on the development of BC, as well as the role of 27 retroelement-derived miRNAs in BC carcinogenesis was demonstrated. The described activation of retroelements, which serve as drivers of epigenetic regulation was supported in a number of clinical studies. The use of the described biomarkers for diagnostics and targeted therapy of BC is suggested.