Long non-coding RNAs and cancer: a new frontier of translational research?

Author manuscriptTiling array and novel sequencing technologies have made available the transcription profile of the entire human genome. However, the extent of transcription and the function of genetic elements that occur outside of protein-coding genes, particularly those involved in disease, are still a matter of debate. In this review, we focus on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that are involved in cancer. We define lncRNAs and present a cancer-oriented list of lncRNAs, list some tools (for example, public databases) that classify lncRNAs or that scan genome spans of interest to find whether known lncRNAs reside there, and describe some of the functions of lncRNAs and the possible genetic mechanisms that underlie lncRNA expression changes in cancer, as well as current and potential future applications of lncRNA research in the treatment of cancer.RS is supported as a fellow of the TALENTS Programme (7th R&D Framework Programme, Specific Programme: PEOPLE—Marie Curie Actions—COFUND). MIA is supported as a PhD fellow of the FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia), Portugal. GAC is supported as a fellow by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Research Trust, as a research scholar by The University of Texas System Regents, and by the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Global Research Foundation. Work in GAC’s laboratory is supported in part by the NIH/ NCI (CA135444); a Department of Defense Breast Cancer Idea Award; Developmental Research Awards from the Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Brain Cancer, Multiple Myeloma and Leukemia Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grants from the National Institutes of Health; a 2009 Seena Magowitz–Pancreatic Cancer Action Network AACR Pilot Grant; the Laura and John Arnold Foundation and the RGK Foundation

Exploring soluble and colloidally transported trace elements in stalagmites:the strontium-yttrium connection

While seasonality in speleothem trace element signatures is well-documented, the parameters that control the emergence of laminations vary between elements and tend to be multi-factorial. Here, we examine a series of active and fossil stalagmites from Asturias, Spain, with a particular focus on strontium and yttrium co-variations and fluorescent laminations. Coupled confocal fluorescence scanning light microscopy (layer counting) and time scales derived from accelerated mass spectrometry (F14C) in active stalagmites confirm that fluorescent banding is annual. This banding is coincident with Y peaks and Sr troughs, which are among the most robust trace element markers of seasonality. Strontium concentrations (in particular, the strontium partition coefficient, DSr) are positively correlated with stalagmite growth rate and are likely controlled by solution supersaturation, which is in turn controlled by seasonal variations in cave ventilation. DSr can be estimated after correcting for prior calcite precipitation using coeval Mg/Ca ratios, and is consistent with both empirical and experimental values. Meanwhile, yttrium is a proxy for colloidal organic input, and its concentration in stalagmites is likely controlled by a combination of Y drip water flux, surface retention time (i.e., how long a drip and its associated organic matter are in contact with the stalagmite surface), and dilation within the matrix (hereafter referred to as “dilation”). Persistent Sr-Y anti-correlation can be explained as an interplay between the individual controls on each element, and a breakdown in this relationship may be indicative of past changes in cave ventilation and/or drip hydrology.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

The upper Pleistocene (1.8–0.7 Ma) explosive eruptive history of Las Cañadas, ocean-island volcano, Tenerife

While most ocean-island volcanism is effusive, recent evidence has demonstrated that intraplate ocean island volcanoes can exhibit protracted explosive histories, with catastrophic eruption styles and hazardous behaviour more typically associated with volcanoes in continental and plate-margin settings. Tenerife is the largest explosive ocean-island volcano on Earth, with a prolonged (∼2 Ma) post-erosional history of caldera-forming, plinian and ignimbrite eruptions of evolved composition. The 0.7–1.8 Ma succession with 20 newly defined formations is reported for southern Tenerife, Canary Islands. In the last 2 Myr, the Las Cañadas volcano has produced >42 pumice-fall eruptions, 21 with extensive ignimbrites, and 12 inferred caldera collapse events. Pyroclastic density currents have repeatedly travelled more than15 km from source to the ocean, filling valleys and burying extensive interfluves. A robust whole-rock chemistry dataset, selected mineral chemistry, coupled with new 40Ar/39Ar ages of units through the pyroclastic stratigraphy, allow recognition of magmatic trends within the system on the order of 100 ky. The catastrophic explosive eruptions form three, 0.2–0.5 Myr-duration clusters (the Ucanca, Guajara and Diego-Hernandez) that do not appear to correspond simply with geochemical cycles, or to cycles of increasing eruption size or explosivity as has been previously proposed. During the clusters, large eruption frequencies averaged 1 every 20–45 kyrs. The eruption clusters were separated by hiatuses of ∼240–260 kyr, recorded by soils and unconformities, and may reflect marked changes in geographic dispersals following giant landslide breaches in Las Cañadas caldera wall. Two concurrent evolutionary magmatic trends are distinguished: one producing crystal-rich magmas, the other formed the cooler crystal-poor magmas: both spanned over a million years until 0.66 Ma, when the former ceased.</p