Long noncoding RNAs in respiratory diseases

Recently developed RNA microarrays and high-throughput sequencing techniques have demonstrated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in a wide range of biological processes. Emerging evidence has confirmed the relevance of lncRNAs to diverse types of human disease, including cancer and cardiovascular disease. In this review, we discuss the important functions of lncRNAs in respiratory diseases. Because the reviewed studies have mainly focused on non-small cell lung cancer, future work will need to extend the studies into other respiratory diseases. From a clinical perspective, targeting lncRNAs as a novel therapeutic strategy in respiratory diseases will require further study to further clarify their biological functions.