An update on the molecular mechanisms of ZFAS1 as a prognostic, diagnostic, or therapeutic biomarker in cancers

Sep 21, 2026

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Zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAS1) is a long noncoding RNA implicated in human malignancies and described as an oncogenic regulator across multiple cancer types. It influences apoptosis, cell proliferation, cell-cycle control, migration, translation, rRNA processing, and spliceosomal snRNP assembly, while also modulating signaling pathways and interacting with transcription factors through protein and miRNA binding. ZFAS1 shows elevated expression in cancers including colorectal, colon, osteosarcoma, and gastric cancer, supporting its diagnostic and prognostic biomarker potential. This review consolidates mechanistic roles and links ZFAS1 to chemoresistance, aiming to strengthen noninvasive, cancer-specific biomarker development.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Reading Time48 min

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Background

ZFAS1 in apoptosis, cell proliferation, and cell cycle

Review An update on the molecular mechanisms of ZFAS1 as a prognostic, diagnostic, or therapeutic biomarker in cancers Mahdieh Mehrab Mohseni1 · Hedyeh Zamani1 · Mina Momeni1 · Zeinab Shirvani‑Farsani1 Received: 5 January 2024 / Accepted: 4 June 2024 © The Author(s) 2024 OPEN Abstract Zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAS1), a newly discovered long noncoding RNA, is expressed in various tissues and organs and has been introduced an oncogenic gene in human malignancies. In various cancers, ZFAS1 regulates apoptosis, cell proliferation, the cell cycle, migration, translation, rRNA processing, and spliceosomal snRNP assembly; targets signaling cascades; and interacts with transcription factors via binding to key proteins and miRNAs, with conflicting findings on its effect on these processes. ZFAS1 is elevated in different types of cancer, like colorectal, colon, osteosarcoma, and gastric cancer. Considering the ZFAS1 expression pattern, it also has the potential to be a diagnostic or prognostic marker in various cancers. The current review discusses the mode of action of ZFAS1 in various human cancers and its regulation function related to chemoresistance comprehensively, as well as the potential role of ZFAS1 as an effective and noninvasive cancer-specific biomarker in tumor diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. We expected that the current review could fill the current scientific gaps in the ZFAS1-related cancer causative mechanisms and improve available biomarkers. Keywords ZFAS1 · Long noncoding RNA · Chemoresistance · Cancer · Biomarker · miRNA 1 Background Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) are mysterious RNAs with more than 200 nucleotides that, although they do not encode any proteins, are functional. In comparison to coding genes, lncRNAs contain similar promoter regions and splicing sites but a greater cellular and tissue-specific distribution. Based on studies, lncRNAs adjust vital biological processes, including human growth and development, imprinting, epigenetic regulation, and alternative splicing [1] . A lot of patients all over the world are suffering from various diseases or dying from abnormalities as a result of a lack of knowledge of lncRNA function. Abnormal lncRNA expression has been detected in a variety of disorders, including, glomerular and tubulointerstitial kidney disease [1], the pathological process of CIRI [2], and especially cancer [3] . A lot of studies find the key lncRNA roles in the development of cancer via the adjustment of their downstream elements [4] . For example, lncRNAs may act as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in cancer [5]. They also work as diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic markers in human cancers [6, 7] . As a result, lncRNAs have been identified as important factors in cancer research, and the involvement of lncRNAs in the emergence of chemoresistance in cancer cells has received a lot of attention. lncRNAs target specific downstream genes linked with chemosensitivity via regulating gene transcription, splicing, and other epigenetic processes [8] . * Zeinab Shirvani-Farsani, [z_shirvani@sbu.ac.ir |](z_shirvani@sbu.ac.ir |1Department of Cell)[1](z_shirvani@sbu.ac.ir |1Department of Cell)[Department of Cell](z_shirvani@sbu.ac.ir |1Department of Cell) and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, IR, Iran. Discover Oncology (2024) 15:219 | [https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-024-01078-x](https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-024-01078-x) Zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAS1), a newly discovered lncRNA, is the antisense strand of the 5’end of the protein-coding gene zinc finger NFX1-type containing 1 (ZNFX1) and the carrier of three C/D-box snoRNAs, SNORD12C, SNORD12B, and SNORD12. It is situated on chromosome 20q13 and is stably expressed in many tissues and organs [9] . In both the cytoplasm and the nucleus, ZFAS1 is expressed in at least five different isoforms. Exons 2 and 5 are shared by all isoforms and vary in si

FAQs

What is ZFAS1 and how is it related to cancers?

ZFAS1 is a long noncoding RNA expressed in many tissues. In human malignancies, it is presented as an oncogenic regulator that can affect multiple cancer-related cellular processes.

Which cellular processes does ZFAS1 regulate according to the review?

The review states that ZFAS1 regulates apoptosis, cell proliferation, and cell-cycle dynamics, and also impacts migration, translation, rRNA processing, and spliceosomal snRNP assembly.

Why is ZFAS1 considered a diagnostic or prognostic biomarker?

ZFAS1 is reported to be elevated across different cancer types, and its expression pattern suggests potential utility for diagnostic or prognostic marker roles in various cancers.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Violet