HOTAIR: A key regulator of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade in cancer progression and treatment

The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HOTAIR occupies a central position in the complex domain of cancer biology, particularly concerning its intricate interplay with the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway. This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted interactions between HOTAIR and the Wnt/beta-catenin cascade, elucidating their profound function in cancer growth, progression, and therapeutic strategies. The study commences by underscoring the pivotal role of the Wnt/beta-catenin cascade in governing essential cellular activities, emphasizing its dysregulation as a linchpin in cancer initiation and advancement. It introduces HOTAIR as a crucial regulatory entity, influencing gene expression in both healthy and diseased. The core of this review plunges into the intricacies of HOTAIR's engagement with Wnt/beta-catenin signaling. It unravels how HOTAIR, through epigenetic modifications and transcriptional control, exerts its influence over key pathway constituents, including beta-catenin, Wnt ligands, and target genes. This influence drives unchecked cancer cell growth, invasion, and metastasis. Furthermore, the review underscores the clinical significance of the HOTAIR-Wnt/beta-catenin interplay, elucidating its associations with diverse cancer subtypes, patient prognoses, and prospects as a ther-apy. It provides insights into ongoing research endeavors to develop HOTAIR-targeted treatments and initiatives to facilitate aberrant Wnt/beta-catenin activation. Concluding on a forward-looking note, the article accentuates the broader implications of HOTAIR's involvement in cancer biology, including its contributions to therapy resis-tance and metastatic dissemination. It underscores the importance of delving deeper into these intricate molecular relationships to pave the way for groundbreaking cancer treatment.