title: Long non-coding RNA ROR decoys gene-specific histone methylation to promote tumorigenesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are not translated into proteins and were initially considered to be part of the 'dark matter' of the genome. Recently, it has been shown that lncRNAs play a role in the recruitment of chromatin modifying complexes and can influence gene expression. However, it is unknown if lncRNAs function in a similar way in cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Here, we show that the lncRNA ROR occupies and activates the TESC promoter by repelling the histone G9A methyltransferase and promoting the release of histone H3K9 methylation. Suppression of ROR in tumors results in silencing of TESC expression, and G9A-mediated histone H3K9 methylation in the TESC promoter is restored, which significantly reduces tumor growth and metastasis. Without ROR silencing, TESC knockdown presents consistent and significant reductions in tumor progression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results reveal a novel mechanism by which ROR may serve as a decoy oncoRNA that blocks binding surfaces, preventing the recruitment of histone modifying enzymes, thereby specifying a new pattern of histone modifications that promote tumorigenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jiayan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xuyang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Renbin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Guanxiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China. geshengfang@sjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Shengfang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Stanford University Medical School, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China. zhanghe@sjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China. fanxq@sh163.net.
authors.forename: Xianqun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018450:Disease Progression; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D019073:HT29 Cells; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008745:Methylation; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D006657:Histones; C000588825:Linc-RNA-RoR, human; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; C486009:TESC protein, human; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase