Cancer metastasis is a major reason for the cancer-associated deaths and a role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cancer metastasis is increasingly being realized. Among the many oncogenic pathways, NF-κB signalling’s involvement in cancer metastasis as a key inflammation-regulatory transcription factor has been a subject of interest for long time. Accumulating data from in vitro as well as in vivo studies along with analysis of clinical cancer tissues points to regulation of NF-κB signalling by lncRNAs with implications toward the onset of cancer metastasis. LncRNAs FOXD2-AS1, KRT19P3 and the NF-κB interacting lncRNA (NKILA) associate with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis of individual cancers. The role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer metastasis is well known. EMT is regulated by NF-κB and regulation of NF-κB/EMT-induced metastasis by lncRNAs remains a hot topic of research with indications for such roles of lncRNAs MALAT1, SNHG15, CRNDE and AC007271.3. Among the many lncRNAs, NKILA stands out as the most investigated lncRNA for its regulation of NF-κB. This tumor suppressive lncRNA has been reported downregulated in clinical samples representing different human cancers. Mechanistically, NKILA has been consistently shown to inhibit NF-κB activation via inhibition of IκBα phosphorylation and the resulting suppression of EMT. NKILA is also a target of natural anticancer compounds. Given the importance of NF-κB as a master regulatory transcription factor, lncRNAs, as the modulators of NF-κB signaling, can provide alternate targets for metastatic cancers with constitutively active NF-κB.

癌症转移是癌症相关死亡的主要原因，并且越来越多地认识到长链非编码 RNA (lncRNA) 在癌症转移中的作用。在众多致癌途径中，NF-κB 信号传导作为关键的炎症调节转录因子参与癌症转移，长期以来一直是人们感兴趣的主题。从体外和体内积累数据研究以及对临床癌症组织的分析表明，lncRNA 对 NF-κB 信号传导的调节对癌症转移的发生具有重要意义。LncRNA FOXD2-AS1、KRT19P3 和 NF-κB 相互作用的 lncRNA (NKILA) 与淋巴结转移和个别癌症的不良预后相关。上皮-间质转化（EMT）在癌症转移中的作用是众所周知的。EMT 受 NF-κB 调节，lncRNA 对 NF-κB/EMT 诱导的转移的调节仍然是研究的热门话题，表明 lncRNA MALAT1、SNHG15、CRNDE 和 AC007271.3 的这种作用。在众多 lncRNA 中，NKILA 因其对 NF-κB 的调节而成为研究最多的 lncRNA。据报道，这种肿瘤抑制性 lncRNA 在代表不同人类癌症的临床样本中下调。机械地，NKILA 一直被证明通过抑制 IκBα 磷酸化和由此产生的 EMT 抑制来抑制 NF-κB 活化。NKILA 也是天然抗癌化合物的靶点。鉴于 NF-κB 作为主要调节转录因子的重要性，lncRNA 作为 NF-κB 信号传导的调节剂，可以为具有组成型活性 NF-κB 的转移性癌症提供替代靶标。