ncRNAs in Human Diseases and Therapeutics

Dear Colleagues,

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have emerged as central regulators of gene expression, influencing virtually every aspect of human physiology and disease. Once considered transcriptional noise, ncRNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), and other regulatory RNA species, are now recognized as key players in cellular homeostasis, development, and pathological processes. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that dysregulation of ncRNAs contributes to the onset and progression of a wide range of human diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disorders, neurological diseases, metabolic syndromes, immune dysfunction, and infectious diseases. Through their ability to fine-tune gene expression networks, ncRNAs act as critical molecular nodes that integrate genetic, epigenetic, and environmental signals. Their disease-specific expression patterns and functional relevance make them attractive candidates for biomarkers, therapeutic targets, and prognostic indicators.

Beyond their diagnostic and mechanistic importance, ncRNAs have opened new avenues for therapeutic intervention. ncRNA-based therapeutics are rapidly advancing, with several strategies showing promising preclinical and clinical outcomes. These include antisense oligonucleotides, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), microRNA mimics, and antimicroRNA (anti-miR)-based therapeutics designed to inhibit pathogenic miRNAs. Anti-miR approaches, in particular, have gained significant attention due to their ability to selectively silence disease-driving miRNAs, offering precision and versatility in treating complex disorders. Additional approaches targeting lncRNAs and circRNAs further expand the therapeutic landscape, although challenges related to delivery, specificity, stability, and off-target effects remain.

This Special Issue, “ncRNAs in Human Diseases and Therapeutics,” aims to provide a comprehensive platform for original research articles and reviews that explore the functional roles of ncRNAs in disease pathogenesis and their translation into therapeutic strategies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Molecular mechanisms of ncRNA regulation in human diseases;
• ncRNAs as diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers;
• MicroRNA-based therapeutics, including miRNA mimics and antimicroRNA strategies;
• Therapeutic targeting of lncRNAs and circRNAs;
• ncRNA involvement in cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, metabolic, immune, and infectious diseases;
• Challenges and innovations in ncRNA delivery systems and clinical translation.

We welcome contributions that advance fundamental understanding and translational applications of ncRNAs, with the ultimate goal of fostering innovative therapeutic strategies for human diseases.

Prof. Dr. Sujay Paul
Dr. Neil Renwick
Guest Editors

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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Non-Coding RNA is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). 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.

• non-coding RNAs
• disease biomarker
• ncRNA-based therapeutics
• gene regulation
• RNA-based drug delivery