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Non-Coding RNA, Volume 4, Issue 2 (June 2018) – 7 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): The coding/non-coding interactome sustains complex regulatory processes in the human brain. Disturbances in this intricate balance underlie pathological states in aging and affect complex neuronal processes such as synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) also seem to be particularly important in maintaining the integrity of the 3D nuclear architecture of neurons throughout the human lifespan.View Paper here.
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30 pages, 360 KiB  
Review
Functional Interplay between Small Non-Coding RNAs and RNA Modification in the Brain
by Laura J. Leighton and Timothy W. Bredy
Non-Coding RNA 2018, 4(2), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/ncrna4020015 - 07 Jun 2018
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4897
Abstract
Small non-coding RNAs are essential for transcription, translation and gene regulation in all cell types, but are particularly important in neurons, with known roles in neurodevelopment, neuroplasticity and neurological disease. Many small non-coding RNAs are directly involved in the post-transcriptional modification of other [...] Read more.
Small non-coding RNAs are essential for transcription, translation and gene regulation in all cell types, but are particularly important in neurons, with known roles in neurodevelopment, neuroplasticity and neurological disease. Many small non-coding RNAs are directly involved in the post-transcriptional modification of other RNA species, while others are themselves substrates for modification, or are functionally modulated by modification of their target RNAs. In this review, we explore the known and potential functions of several distinct classes of small non-coding RNAs in the mammalian brain, focusing on the newly recognised interplay between the epitranscriptome and the activity of small RNAs. We discuss the potential for this relationship to influence the spatial and temporal dynamics of gene activation in the brain, and predict that further research in the field of epitranscriptomics will identify interactions between small RNAs and RNA modifications which are essential for higher order brain functions such as learning and memory. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-Coding RNA in the Nervous System)
28 pages, 1230 KiB  
Review
Functional Role of Non-Coding RNAs during Epithelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition
by Almudena Expósito-Villén, Amelia E. Aránega and Diego Franco
Non-Coding RNA 2018, 4(2), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/ncrna4020014 - 28 May 2018
Cited by 56 | Viewed by 7207
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key biological process involved in a multitude of developmental and pathological events. It is characterized by the progressive loss of cell-to-cell contacts and actin cytoskeletal rearrangements, leading to filopodia formation and the progressive up-regulation of a mesenchymal gene [...] Read more.
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key biological process involved in a multitude of developmental and pathological events. It is characterized by the progressive loss of cell-to-cell contacts and actin cytoskeletal rearrangements, leading to filopodia formation and the progressive up-regulation of a mesenchymal gene expression pattern enabling cell migration. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition is already observed in early embryonic stages such as gastrulation, when the epiblast undergoes an EMT process and therefore leads to the formation of the third embryonic layer, the mesoderm. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition is pivotal in multiple embryonic processes, such as for example during cardiovascular system development, as valve primordia are formed and the cardiac jelly is progressively invaded by endocardium-derived mesenchyme or as the external cardiac cell layer is established, i.e., the epicardium and cells detached migrate into the embryonic myocardial to form the cardiac fibrous skeleton and the coronary vasculature. Strikingly, the most important biological event in which EMT is pivotal is cancer development and metastasis. Over the last years, understanding of the transcriptional regulatory networks involved in EMT has greatly advanced. Several transcriptional factors such as Snail, Slug, Twist, Zeb1 and Zeb2 have been reported to play fundamental roles in EMT, leading in most cases to transcriptional repression of cell–cell interacting proteins such as ZO-1 and cadherins and activation of cytoskeletal markers such as vimentin. In recent years, a fundamental role for non-coding RNAs, particularly microRNAs and more recently long non-coding RNAs, has been identified in normal tissue development and homeostasis as well as in several oncogenic processes. In this study, we will provide a state-of-the-art review of the functional roles of non-coding RNAs, particularly microRNAs, in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in both developmental and pathological EMT. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-Coding RNA and Cell Migration)
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25 pages, 448 KiB  
Review
Long Non-Coding RNAs in Multifactorial Diseases: Another Layer of Complexity
by Gabriel A. Cipolla, Jaqueline C. De Oliveira, Amanda Salviano-Silva, Sara C. Lobo-Alves, Debora S. Lemos, Luana C. Oliveira, Tayana S. Jucoski, Carolina Mathias, Gabrielle A. Pedroso, Erika P. Zambalde and Daniela F. Gradia
Non-Coding RNA 2018, 4(2), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/ncrna4020013 - 11 May 2018
Cited by 61 | Viewed by 6602
Abstract
Multifactorial diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular conditions and neurological, immunological and metabolic disorders are a group of diseases caused by the combination of genetic and environmental factors. High-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technologies have revealed that less than 2% of the genome corresponds to [...] Read more.
Multifactorial diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular conditions and neurological, immunological and metabolic disorders are a group of diseases caused by the combination of genetic and environmental factors. High-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technologies have revealed that less than 2% of the genome corresponds to protein-coding genes, although most of the human genome is transcribed. The other transcripts include a large variety of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), and the continuous generation of RNA-seq data shows that ncRNAs are strongly deregulated and may be important players in pathological processes. A specific class of ncRNAs, the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), has been intensively studied in human diseases. For clinical purposes, lncRNAs may have advantages mainly because of their specificity and differential expression patterns, as well as their ideal qualities for diagnosis and therapeutics. Multifactorial diseases are the major cause of death worldwide and many aspects of their development are not fully understood. Recent data about lncRNAs has improved our knowledge and helped risk assessment and prognosis of these pathologies. This review summarizes the involvement of some lncRNAs in the most common multifactorial diseases, with a focus on those with published functional data. Full article
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23 pages, 2229 KiB  
Review
Long Non-Coding RNAs in Neuronal Aging
by Diana Pereira Fernandes, Mainá Bitar, Frank M. J. Jacobs and Guy Barry
Non-Coding RNA 2018, 4(2), 12; https://doi.org/10.3390/ncrna4020012 - 18 Apr 2018
Cited by 52 | Viewed by 9218
Abstract
The expansion of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in organismal genomes has been associated with the emergence of sophisticated regulatory networks that may have contributed to more complex neuronal processes, such as higher-order cognition. In line with the important roles of lncRNAs in the [...] Read more.
The expansion of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in organismal genomes has been associated with the emergence of sophisticated regulatory networks that may have contributed to more complex neuronal processes, such as higher-order cognition. In line with the important roles of lncRNAs in the normal functioning of the human brain, dysregulation of lncRNA expression has been implicated in aging and age-related neurodegenerative disorders. In this paper, we discuss the function and expression of known neuronal-associated lncRNAs, their impact on epigenetic changes, the contribution of transposable elements to lncRNA expression, and the implication of lncRNAs in maintaining the 3D nuclear architecture in neurons. Moreover, we discuss how the complex molecular processes that are orchestrated by lncRNAs in the aged brain may contribute to neuronal pathogenesis by promoting protein aggregation and neurodegeneration. Finally, this review explores the possibility that age-related disturbances of lncRNA expression change the genomic and epigenetic regulatory landscape of neurons, which may affect neuronal processes such as neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-Coding RNA in the Nervous System)
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21 pages, 5316 KiB  
Review
Non-Coding RNA as Novel Players in the Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia
by Andrew Gibbons, Madhara Udawela and Brian Dean
Non-Coding RNA 2018, 4(2), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/ncrna4020011 - 12 Apr 2018
Cited by 50 | Viewed by 7900
Abstract
Schizophrenia is associated with diverse changes in the brain’s transcriptome and proteome. Underlying these changes is the complex dysregulation of gene expression and protein production that varies both spatially across brain regions and temporally with the progression of the illness. The growing body [...] Read more.
Schizophrenia is associated with diverse changes in the brain’s transcriptome and proteome. Underlying these changes is the complex dysregulation of gene expression and protein production that varies both spatially across brain regions and temporally with the progression of the illness. The growing body of literature showing changes in non-coding RNA in individuals with schizophrenia offers new insights into the mechanisms causing this dysregulation. A large number of studies have reported that the expression of microRNA (miRNA) is altered in the brains of individuals with schizophrenia. This evidence is complemented by findings that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNA host gene sequences can confer an increased risk of developing the disorder. Additionally, recent evidence suggests the expression of other non-coding RNAs, such as small nucleolar RNA and long non-coding RNA, may also be affected in schizophrenia. Understanding how these changes in non-coding RNAs contribute to the development and progression of schizophrenia offers potential avenues for the better treatment and diagnosis of the disorder. This review will focus on the evidence supporting the involvement of non-coding RNA in schizophrenia and its therapeutic potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-Coding RNA in the Nervous System)
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15 pages, 3563 KiB  
Review
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Current Strategies to Map and Characterize R-Loops
by Vincent Vanoosthuyse
Non-Coding RNA 2018, 4(2), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/ncrna4020009 - 27 Mar 2018
Cited by 49 | Viewed by 9597
Abstract
R-loops are evolutionarily conserved three-stranded structures that result from the formation of stable DNA:RNA hybrids in the genome. R-loops have attracted increasing interest in recent years as potent regulators of gene expression and genome stability. In particular, their strong association with severe replication [...] Read more.
R-loops are evolutionarily conserved three-stranded structures that result from the formation of stable DNA:RNA hybrids in the genome. R-loops have attracted increasing interest in recent years as potent regulators of gene expression and genome stability. In particular, their strong association with severe replication stress makes them potential oncogenic structures. Despite their importance, the rules that govern their formation and their dynamics are still controversial and an in-depth description of their direct impact on chromatin organization and DNA transactions is still lacking. To better understand the diversity of R-loop functions, reliable, accurate, and quantitative mapping techniques, as well as functional assays are required. Here, I review the different approaches that are currently used to do so and to highlight their individual strengths and weaknesses. In particular, I review the advantages and disadvantages of using the S9.6 antibody to map R-loops in vivo in an attempt to propose guidelines for best practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genomic Instability and Non-Coding RNA)
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16 pages, 10938 KiB  
Article
Hypoxia-Induced MicroRNA-210 Targets Neurodegenerative Pathways
by Michelle E. Watts, Sarah M. Williams, Jess Nithianantharajah and Charles Claudianos
Non-Coding RNA 2018, 4(2), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/ncrna4020010 - 27 Mar 2018
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5465
Abstract
Hypoxia-regulated microRNA-210 (miR-210) is a highly conserved microRNA, known to regulate various processes under hypoxic conditions. Previously we found that miR-210 is also involved in honeybee learning and memory, raising the questions of how neural activity may induce hypoxia-regulated genes and how miR-210 [...] Read more.
Hypoxia-regulated microRNA-210 (miR-210) is a highly conserved microRNA, known to regulate various processes under hypoxic conditions. Previously we found that miR-210 is also involved in honeybee learning and memory, raising the questions of how neural activity may induce hypoxia-regulated genes and how miR-210 may regulate plasticity in more complex mammalian systems. Using a pull-down approach, we identified 620 unique target genes of miR-210 in humans, among which there was a significant enrichment of age-related neurodegenerative pathways, including Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s diseases. We have also validated that miR-210 directly regulates various identified target genes of interest involved with neuronal plasticity, neurodegenerative diseases, and miR-210-associated cancers. This data suggests a potentially novel mechanism for how metabolic changes may couple plasticity to neuronal activity through hypoxia-regulated genes such as miR-210. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-Coding RNA in the Nervous System)
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