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Recent Advances in Non-Coding RNAs in Human Research
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Recent Advances in Non-Coding RNAs in Human Research

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Genetics and Genomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 1228

Editor

Dr. Jesús Adrián López

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratorio de microRNAs y Cáncer, Unidad Académica de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas “Francisco García Salinas”, Av. Preparatoria S/N, Zacatecas 98066, Mexico
Interests: nc RNAs; micorRNA; circular RNA; cancer diagnosis; cancer biomarkers

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Gene expression is regulated by ncRNAs at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, modulating several cellular processes involved in distinct pathologies, like cancer, among others.  From the plethora of non-coding RNAs, microRNAs and lncRNAs together play a role in regulation, incorporating mRNAs as intermediaries to fine-tune several cell signaling pathways. Cellular hallmarks of cancer, such as proliferation, cell cycle, cell death, migration and invasion processes, are regulated by the miRNA–mRNA–lncRNA triad in different combinations. Contributions spanning fundamental microRNAs and lncRNAs biology, base modifications (methylation, deamination, phosphorylation), isoforms and regulation, disease mechanisms, drug discovery and design, chemoresistance, and cell communication through ncRNAs are largely unknown and particularly encouraged. The potential in diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic value of ncRNAs in cancer presents the future of precision medicine.  Therefore, studies focusing on emerging therapeutic strategies, including targeted delivery systems, prodrugs (from plants, fungi, synthetic, etc.), nanocarriers, and combination therapies aimed at improving the delivery, efficacy and safety of ncRNAs, are highly encouraged.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following: molecular and cellular regulation of microRNAs and lncRNAs involved in cell signaling in human health and disease. Contributions spanning fundamental microRNAs and lncRNAs biology, base modifications (methylation, deamination, phosphorylation), isoforms and regulation, disease mechanisms, drug discovery and design, chemoresistance, and cell communication through ncRNAs are particularly encouraged. In addition, studies focusing on emerging therapeutic strategies, including targeted drug delivery systems, prodrugs (from plants, fungi, synthetic, etc.), nanocarriers, and combination therapies aimed at improving the delivery, efficacy and safety of ncRNAs, are highly encouraged. I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Jesús Adrián López
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microRNAs
  • lncRNAs
  • mRNA regulation
  • cell signaling pathways
  • RNA methylation
  • RNA phosphorylation
  • RNA deamidation
  • cell communication
  • chemoresistance
  • RNA inhibitors or activators

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 2332 KB  
Article
Naphthoquinone-Amino Acids Regulate Cellular Cancer Associated Processes, p53 and miR-34a-5p Expression in Immortal and Tumorigenic Cervical Cell Lines
by Jessica Lizbeth Sifuentes-Padilla, Angelica Judith Granados-López, Antonia Monserrat Campos-Lujan, Abel Suárez-Castro, Mayra Denise Herrera, Yamilé López-Hernández, Hiram Hernández-López, José Antonio Varela-Silva, Rosalinda Gutiérrez-Hernández, Claudia Araceli Reyes-Estrada, Sergio Hugo Sánchez-Rodríguez, Ernesto Rivera-Ávalos, Denisse de Loera and Jesús Adrián López
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(13), 5703; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27135703 - 24 Jun 2026
Viewed by 355
Abstract
Cervical cancer is a malignant disease that affects women worldwide and is associated with both high incidence and a high mortality rate. miR-34 is a direct transcriptional-target of p53 and is downregulated in several types of cancers. 1,4-Naphthoquinones (NQs) have anticancer properties and [...] Read more.
Cervical cancer is a malignant disease that affects women worldwide and is associated with both high incidence and a high mortality rate. miR-34 is a direct transcriptional-target of p53 and is downregulated in several types of cancers. 1,4-Naphthoquinones (NQs) have anticancer properties and have been used to modulate miR-34 expression. We tested (3-chloro-NQ-2-yl)-alanine (ANQCl), -methionine (MNQCl), -glycine (GNQCl), -phenylalanine (FNQCl), -asparagine (NNQCl), and (1,4-napthoquinon-2-yl)-asparagine (NNQ) in immortal and tumorigenic cells, both HPV-positive and -negative, simulating precancerous and cancerous status to observe the response of the p53-miR-34 system, migration and invasion. A dose–response was achieved to determine the IC50 of the compounds in SiHa, CaLo, C33-A and HaCaT cells. HaCaT cell migration inhibition was more potent than in SiHa, CaLo, and C33-A cells, while invasion hindrance was more evident in the tumorigenic SiHa, CaLo and C33-A. NNQCl, GNQCl, ANQCl and FNQCl compounds induced p53 overexpression in SiHa and CaLo cells. Compound ANQCl in SiHa and FNQCl in CaLo induced miR-34a overexpression, probably via p53. Migration and invasion of most compounds decreased independently of p53-miR-34. NQ-amino acids exert effect on cell proliferation, migration and invasion in cervical cancer cells, suggesting their potential use in the field of cancer treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Non-Coding RNAs in Human Research)
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18 pages, 2420 KB  
Article
Exosomal lncRNAs HOTAIR, HULC, and ANRIL: Decoding the Biomarker Landscape of Sporadic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
by Hazal Sezginer Guler, Hakan Gurkan, Sinem Yalcintepe, Yavuz Atakan Sezer, Sernaz Topaloglu, Ebru Tastekin, Selcuk Korkmaz, Daghan Dagdelen, Engin Atli, Selma Demir and Nermin Tuncbilek
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(10), 4308; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27104308 - 12 May 2026
Viewed by 536
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC/18–21%) lacks targeted treatment options due to the lack of ER/PR and HER2 expression. The transport of lncRNAs via exosomes plays a role in tumor progression and metastasis and reshapes tumor-associated signaling pathways. This study aimed to compare the expression [...] Read more.
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC/18–21%) lacks targeted treatment options due to the lack of ER/PR and HER2 expression. The transport of lncRNAs via exosomes plays a role in tumor progression and metastasis and reshapes tumor-associated signaling pathways. This study aimed to compare the expression of exosomal HOTAIR, NEAT1, MALAT1, AFAP1-AS1, ANRIL, and HULC lncRNAs in primary tumor tissue and blood of patients with sporadic TNBC to evaluate their potential as biomarkers. The patients diagnosed with TNBC between the years 2021 and 2025, 21 of 62 (33.87%) with sporadic breast cancer and thirty healthy controls were included in the study. Primary tumor tissue and peripheral venous blood samples were collected from 21 patients who did not receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Expression levels of exosomal lncRNAs (HOTAIR, NEAT1, MALAT1, AFAP1-AS1, ANRIL, and HULC) were determined in both tissues and blood samples from the patient and control groups using Real-Time PCR method. In the patient group, HOTAIR, HULC, ANRIL, and AFAP1_AS1 gene expression was lower (downregulated) in tissue and serum compared to the control group, whereas NEAT1 and MALAT1 were higher (upregulated). Tissue and serum samples taken from the patient group were found to have statistically consistent expression levels of HOTAIR, HULC, and ANRIL genes. Furthermore, HOTAIR, HULC, and ANRIL serve as biomarkers and can be studied using exosomal RNA samples obtained from patient serum without invasive procedures. Our current study, which has different lncRNA expression profiles, reflects the biological heterogeneity of TNBC and contributes to a better understanding of its subtypes at the molecular level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Non-Coding RNAs in Human Research)
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Review

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16 pages, 1231 KB  
Review
Circulating and Tissue MicroRNA Profiles Associated with Pathological Complete Response in HER2+ Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review
by Luis Bouz Mkabaah, Darragh T. McGovern, Eoin P. Kerin, Thomas O. Butler, Vinitha Richard, Aoife J. Lowery and Michael J. Kerin
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(16), 7345; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27167345 - 17 Aug 2026
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as promising biomarkers for treatment response prediction in breast cancer. However, the role of circulating and tumour-derived miRNAs in predicting pathological complete response (pCR) following neoadjuvant therapy in HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer remains incompletely defined. To systematically evaluate the [...] Read more.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as promising biomarkers for treatment response prediction in breast cancer. However, the role of circulating and tumour-derived miRNAs in predicting pathological complete response (pCR) following neoadjuvant therapy in HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer remains incompletely defined. To systematically evaluate the association between miRNA expression profiles and pCR in HER2+ breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant systemic therapy, including chemotherapy with HER2-targeted agents. A systematic review of PUBMED, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and WEB OF SCIENCE databases was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies evaluating circulating or tumour-derived miRNAs associated with pCR following neoadjuvant therapy in HER2+ breast cancer were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the QUIPS tool. Nine studies involving 937 HER2+ breast cancer patients were included. Overall, 39 unique miRNAs and four circulating miRNA signatures were associated with pCR outcomes. Seven studies evaluated circulating miRNAs, while two assessed tumour-derived miRNAs. The increased expression of six circulating miRNAs, four circulating signatures, and seventeen tumour-derived miRNAs was associated with pCR. Conversely, the increased expression of eleven circulating miRNAs and five tumour-derived miRNAs was associated with residual disease and non-pCR. MiR-210 was the only miRNA associated with response across more than one study, with an increased expression associated with residual disease in both circulating and tumour-derived analyses. Several circulating and tumour-derived miRNAs demonstrate potential as predictive biomarkers of pCR following HER2-targeted neoadjuvant therapy. However, substantial heterogeneity and limited validation currently restrict clinical implementation. Future prospective multicentre studies using standardised methodologies are required to clarify the role of miRNA profiling in personalised treatment strategies for HER2+ breast cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Non-Coding RNAs in Human Research)
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