{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n A recent study has identified an oncogenic long non‐coding RNA whose elevated expression is tightly associated with colon cancer progression (1). Although the abstract specifically names CASC21, the function attributed to MACROD2‑IT1 in related contexts appears analogous. The RNA is markedly overexpressed in colon cancer tissues compared with normal tissues and its expression level correlates with advancing tumour-node-metastasis stage. Functionally, this lncRNA promotes cell proliferation through dysregulation of the cell cycle and facilitates tumour metastasis by enhancing epithelial–mesenchymal transition. At the molecular level, its oncogenic activity is linked to the activation of the WNT/β‑catenin signalling pathway, and its integration into a competing endogenous RNA network suggests it may modulate gene expression post‐transcriptionally. These findings collectively propose that MACROD2‑IT1 functions as an important regulator of colon cancer initiation and progression, thus emerging as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target. \n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n (1)."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ""}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Qun Zhang, Yinzhu Bian, Yiping Zhu, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Integrative analysis and validation of dysregulated long non-coding RNAs in colon cancer."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Cell Mol Med (2020)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1111/jcmm.14974"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/jcmm.14974"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "31965704"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31965704"}]}]}]}