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REVIEW article

Front. Cell Dev. Biol.
Sec. Molecular and Cellular Pathology
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1495035
This article is part of the Research Topic Functional Implications of Piwi Proteins and piRNAs in Stem Cell Maintenance and Development View all 4 articles

Somatic piRNA and PIWI-mediated post-transcriptional gene regulation in stem cells and disease

Provisionally accepted
Mahammed Zaid Patel Mahammed Zaid Patel Yuguan Jiang Yuguan Jiang Pavan Kumar Kakumani Pavan Kumar Kakumani *
  • Faculty of Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, John's, Canada

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that bind to the PIWI subclass of the Argonaute protein family and are essential for maintaining germline integrity. Initially discovered in Drosophila, PIWI proteins safeguard piRNAs, forming ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes, crucial for regulating gene expression and genome stability, by suppressing transposable elements (TEs). Recent insights revealed that piRNAs and PIWI proteins, known for their roles in germline maintenance, significantly influence mRNA stability, translation and retrotransposon silencing in both stem cells and bodily tissues. In the current review, we explore the multifaceted roles of piRNAs and PIWI proteins in numerous biological contexts, emphasizing their involvement in stem cell maintenance, differentiation, and the development of human diseases. Additionally, we discussed the up-and-coming animal models, beyond the classical fruit fly and earthworm systems, for studying piRNA-PIWIs in self-renewal and cell differentiation. Further, our review offers new insights and discusses the emerging roles of piRNA-dependent and independent functions of PIWI proteins in the soma, especially the mRNA regulation at the post-transcriptional level, governing stem cell characteristics, tumor development, and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.

    Keywords: piRNA, PIWI, mRNA, gene regulation, Stem Cells, Diseases, retrotransposons

    Received: 11 Sep 2024; Accepted: 25 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Patel, Jiang and Kakumani. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Pavan Kumar Kakumani, Faculty of Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, John's, Canada

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