Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality globally. Increasing evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs play a critical role in cancer development, with the small nucleolar RNA host gene family being a key participant in multiple types of carcinogenesis, including HCC. Small nucleolar RNA host gene 1 (SNHG1) is a significant member of the SNHG family. SNHG1 expression consistently increases in various HCC-associated processes, such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, migration, invasion, and treatment resistance. Higher SNHG1 expression levels predict worse prognosis by positively correlating with clinicopathological features, including larger tumour size, poor differentiation, and advanced stages in patients with HCC. Nevertheless, the precise role of SNHG1 in the initiation and progression of HCC remains unclear. Therefore, this review aims to summarise the current investigations on the pathogenesis of SNHG1 in HCC, highlighting its potential as a molecular marker for early prediction and prognostic assessment. As a multifunctional modulator, SNHG1 is extensively involved in molecular signalling pathways in HCC progression and is valuable for therapeutic targeting.
Keywords: Biomarker; Epigenetic regulation; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Immune checkpoint inhibitors; Liquid biopsy; Long non-coding RNA; Small nucleolar RNA host gene 1.
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