Increased RNA editing sites revealed as potential novel biomarkers for diagnosis in primary Sjögren's syndrome

B Cell Lymphoma 6 (BCL6): A Conserved Regulator of Immunity and Beyond

B cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) is a conserved multi-domain protein that functions principally as a transcriptional repressor. This protein regulates many pivotal aspects of immune cell development and function. BCL6 is critical for germinal center (GC) formation and the development of high-affinity antibodies, with key roles in the generation and function of GC B cells, follicular helper T (Tfh) cells, follicular regulatory T (Tfr) cells, and various immune memory cells. BCL6 also controls macrophage production and function as well as performing a myriad of additional roles outside of the immune system. Many of these regulatory functions are conserved throughout evolution. The BCL6 gene is also important in human oncology, particularly in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and follicular lymphoma (FL), but also extending to many in other cancers, including a unique role in resistance to a variety of therapies, which collectively make BCL6 inhibitors highly sought-after.

Non-coding RNA and its network in the pathogenesis of Myasthenia Gravis

Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a chronic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the neuromuscular junction, leading to muscle weakness in patients with this condition. Previous studies have identified several dysfunctions in thymus and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), such as the formation of ectopic germinal centers in the thymus and an imbalance of peripheral T helper cells and regulatory T cells, that contribute to the initiation and development of MG. Recent evidences suggest that noncoding RNA, including miRNA, lncRNA and circRNA may play a significant role in MG progression. Additionally, the network between these noncoding RNAs, such as the competing endogenous RNA regulatory network, has been found to be involved in MG progression. In this review, we summarized the roles of miRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA, highlighted their potential application as biomarkers in diagnosing MG, and discussed their potential regulatory networks in the abnormal thymus and PBMCs during MG development.

RNA editing enzymes: structure, biological functions and applications

With the advancement of sequencing technologies and bioinformatics, over than 170 different RNA modifications have been identified. However, only a few of these modifications can lead to base pair changes, which are called RNA editing. RNA editing is a ubiquitous modification in mammalian transcriptomes and is an important co/posttranscriptional modification that plays a crucial role in various cellular processes. There are two main types of RNA editing events: adenosine to inosine (A-to-I) editing, catalyzed by ADARs on double-stranded RNA or ADATs on tRNA, and cytosine to uridine (C-to-U) editing catalyzed by APOBECs. This article provides an overview of the structure, function, and applications of RNA editing enzymes. We discuss the structural characteristics of three RNA editing enzyme families and their catalytic mechanisms in RNA editing. We also explain the biological role of RNA editing, particularly in innate immunity, cancer biogenesis, and antiviral activity. Additionally, this article describes RNA editing tools for manipulating RNA to correct disease-causing mutations, as well as the potential applications of RNA editing enzymes in the field of biotechnology and therapy.

Janus Kinase 3 (JAK3): A Critical Conserved Node in Immunity Disrupted in Immune Cell Cancer and Immunodeficiency

The Janus kinase (JAK) family is a small group of protein tyrosine kinases that represent a central component of intracellular signaling downstream from a myriad of cytokine receptors. The JAK3 family member performs a particularly important role in facilitating signal transduction for a key set of cytokine receptors that are essential for immune cell development and function. Mutations that impact JAK3 activity have been identified in a number of human diseases, including somatic gain-of-function (GOF) mutations associated with immune cell malignancies and germline loss-of-function (LOF) mutations associated with immunodeficiency. The structure, function and impacts of both GOF and LOF mutations of JAK3 are highly conserved, making animal models highly informative. This review details the biology of JAK3 and the impact of its perturbation in immune cell-related diseases, including relevant animal studies.

Harnessing ADAR-Mediated Site-Specific RNA Editing in Immune-Related Disease: Prediction and Therapeutic Implications

ADAR (Adenosine Deaminases Acting on RNA) proteins are a group of enzymes that play a vital role in RNA editing by converting adenosine to inosine in RNAs. This process is a frequent post-transcriptional event observed in metazoan transcripts. Recent studies indicate widespread dysregulation of ADAR-mediated RNA editing across many immune-related diseases, such as human cancer. We comprehensively review ADARs' function as pattern recognizers and their capability to contribute to mediating immune-related pathways. We also highlight the potential role of site-specific RNA editing in maintaining homeostasis and its relationship to various diseases, such as human cancers. More importantly, we summarize the latest cutting-edge computational approaches and data resources for predicting and analyzing RNA editing sites. Lastly, we cover the recent advancement in site-directed ADAR editing tool development. This review presents an up-to-date overview of ADAR-mediated RNA editing, how site-specific RNA editing could potentially impact disease pathology, and how they could be harnessed for therapeutic applications.