Iranian journal of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology

en Small Nucleolar RNAs as Novel Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets in Hematologic Malignancies: A Systematic Review ژنتیک Genetics مروری سیستماتیک systematic review <div style="text-align: justify;">Background: Carcinogenesis is associated with the dysregulated expression of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs). However, their specific expression profiles and clinical implications in hematologic malignancies remain limited. This systematic review aims to evaluate the role of snoRNAs as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and to assess their utility in monitoring treatment responses in hematologic cancers. Materials and Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024574222). Relevant data regarding study characteristics, cancer subtypes, specimen types, sample sizes, methodologies, and clinical outcomes were extracted. The quality of the studies and risk of bias were independently assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), with discrepancies resolved through consensus. Results: From an initial pool of 783 records, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria, highlighting the novelty of this research field. Despite the limited number of studies, the analysis identified 133 distinct snoRNAs with complex roles in the pathogenesis of hematologic malignancies. Dysregulated snoRNA expression was found to significantly influence critical cellular functions, including proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis. Furthermore, aberrant snoRNA levels showed a strong association with prognostic outcomes, particularly overall survival in multiple myeloma (MM) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Conclusion: This review emphasizes the emerging significance of snoRNAs as promising biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic monitoring. The limited available data, compared with miRNAs and lncRNAs, highlight a significant knowledge gap. Nonetheless, current evidence suggests that snoRNAs offer distinct advantages, including greater molecular stability and higher specificity. While challenges such as incomplete functional characterization and limited clinical validation persist, this first systematic examination emphasizes the potential of snoRNAs to complement existing RNA-based biomarkers. Current findings highlight the need for more extensive research to fully utilize their diagnostic and therapeutic value in precision oncology.  </div> Biomarker, Gene Expression, Hematologic Neoplasm, Multiple Myeloma, Small Nucleolar RNA 969 994 http://ijpho.ssu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1249-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Fateme Tabrizi Fateme Tabrizi tabrizi.m.f@gmail.com 0000-0001-7856-1527 No Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran Mehri Khatami Mehri Khatami m.khatami@yazd.ac.ir 0000-0002-5840-5399 Yes Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran Mohammad Mehdi Heidari Mohammad Mehdi Heidari heidarimm1393@gmail.com 0000-0002-3328-4746 No Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran