Non-coding RNAs in disease development and progression

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Background

The recent advances in genome-wide annotation studies have revealed that approximately two-thirds of the mammalian genome is transcribed. More than 98% of the transcriptional output, however, encodes tens of thousands of different classes of non-coding (nc) RNAs, which are not translated into protein.
Interestingly, a large body of evidence has shown that ncRNAs play a critical role in fundamental biological processes. Through the regulation of gene expression at transcriptional, post-transcriptional and post-translational level, ncRNAs show the ability to influence cell differentiation and development, as well as drive the etiology of numerous pathologies, such as cancer, neurological (neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric) disorders, and cardiovascular diseases.
NcRNA, which comprise small (miRNAs, siRNAs, piRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), have been shown to contribute to the development and progression of diseases by different mechanisms, such as control of chromatin architecture, transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulation, or by acting as enhancers. Nevertheless, albeit the emerging roles of lncRNAs point towards their key contribution to physiological and pathological states, the function of non-coding RNAs has not yet been fully elucidated to date.

Despite increase in our understanding of pathways by which ncRNA dysregulation contribute to disease pathogenesis, additional studies are needed to decipher how ncRNAs contribute to disease by affecting target gene regulation in spatio-temporal fashion. One of the major challenges in the field is defining the specificity of ncRNAs, their interacting macromolecules and downstream effector molecules in target gene regulation. In addition, the localization of ncRNA types within different cellular compartments also needs to be characterized, which will provide more information on their functions. Through generating comprehensive knowledge on ncRNAs localization, function, and their molecular interactions, we will be able achieve a deeper understanding of ncRNA functions at their physiological expression as well as during their dysregulation under pathological contexts. These collective efforts will allow us to devise innovative therapeutic strategies that specifically target dysregulated ncRNAs, their molecular interactors and downstream signalling cascades.

This research topic is centred on all aspects of ncRNA characterization, in terms of their cellular localization, function and interactions with other macromolecules, driving the etiology and development of pathological statuses. Original research manuscripts, reviews, and perspective manuscripts will be considered. Of particular interest will be manuscripts that address the role of (l)ncRNA in the etiopathogenesis of cancer, in the progression of neurological disorders, and in the development of cardiovascular diseases, which currently represent the leading causes of death in the world.

Keywords: LncRNAs, Cancer, Neurological Diseases, Cardiovascular Diseases, cell division, Gene-expression, Chromatin-associated LncRNAs

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