1
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Pani S, Qiu T, Kentala K, Azizi SA, Dickinson BC. Bioorthogonal masked acylating agents for proximity-dependent RNA labelling. Nat Chem 2024; 16:717-726. [PMID: 38594368 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-024-01493-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
RNA localization is highly regulated, with subcellular organization driving context-dependent cell physiology. Although proximity-based labelling technologies that use highly reactive radicals or carbenes provide a powerful method for unbiased mapping of protein organization within a cell, methods for unbiased RNA mapping are scarce and comparably less robust. Here we develop α-alkoxy thioenol and chloroenol esters that function as potent acylating agents upon controlled ester unmasking. We pair these probes with subcellular-localized expression of a bioorthogonal esterase to establish a platform for spatial analysis of RNA: bioorthogonal acylating agents for proximity labelling and sequencing (BAP-seq). We demonstrate that, by selectively unmasking the enol probe in a locale of interest, we can map RNA distribution in membrane-bound and membrane-less organelles. The controlled-release acylating agent chemistry and corresponding BAP-seq method expand the scope of proximity labelling technologies and provide a powerful approach to interrogate the cellular organization of RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubhashree Pani
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Tian Qiu
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kaitlin Kentala
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Saara-Anne Azizi
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Bryan C Dickinson
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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2
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Shamustakimova AO. Halo-RPD: searching for RNA-binding protein targets in plants. Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genet Selektsii 2024; 28:74-79. [PMID: 38465250 PMCID: PMC10917663 DOI: 10.18699/vjgb-24-09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Study of RNA-protein interactions and identification of RNA targets are among the key aspects of understanding RNA biology. Currently, various methods are available to investigate these interactions with, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) being the most common. The search for RNA targets has largely been conducted using antibodies to an endogenous protein or to GFP-tag directly. Having to be dependent on the expression level of the target protein and having to spend time selecting highly specific antibodies make immunoprecipitation complicated. Expression of the GFP-fused protein can lead to cytotoxicity and, consequently, to improper recognition or degradation of the chimeric protein. Over the past few years, multifunctional tags have been developed. SNAP-tag and HaloTag allow the target protein to be studied from different perspectives. Labeling of the fusion protein with custom-made fluorescent dyes makes it possible to study protein expression and to localize it in the cell or the whole organism. A high-affinity substrate has been created to allow covalent binding by chimeric proteins, minimizing protein loss during protein isolation. In this paper, a HaloTag-based method, which we called Halo-RPD (HaloTag RNA PullDown), is presented. The proposed protocol uses plants with stable fusion protein expression and Magne® HaloTag® magnetic beads to capture RNA-protein complexes directly from the cytoplasmic lysate of transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants. The key stages described in the paper are as follows: (1) preparation of the magnetic beads; (2) tissue homogenization and collection of control samples; (3) precipitation and wash of RNA-protein complexes; (4) evaluation of protein binding efficiency; (5) RNA isolation; (6) analysis of the RNA obtained. Recommendations for better NGS assay designs are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- A O Shamustakimova
- All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Moscow, Russia
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3
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Ferraz RS, Cavalcante JVF, Magalhães L, Ribeiro‐dos‐Santos Â, Dalmolin RJS. Revealing metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer master regulator through lncRNAs-centered regulatory network. Cancer Med 2023; 12:19279-19290. [PMID: 37644825 PMCID: PMC10557827 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is an aggressive form of cancer unresponsive to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) that spreads quickly to other organs. Despite reduced androgen levels after ADT, mCRPC development and lethality continues to be conducted by the androgen receptor (AR) axis. The maintenance of AR signaling in mCRPC is a result of AR alterations, androgen intratumoral production, and the action of regulatory elements, such as noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). ncRNAs are key elements in cancer signaling, acting in tumor growth, metabolic reprogramming, and tumor progression. In prostate cancer (PCa), the ncRNAs have been reported to be associated with AR expression, PCa proliferation, and castration resistance. In this study, we aimed to reconstruct the lncRNA-centered regulatory network of mCRPC and identify the lncRNAs which act as master regulators (MRs). METHODS We used publicly available RNA-sequencing to infer the regulatory network of lncRNAs in mCRPC. Five gene signatures were employed to conduct the master regulator analysis. Inferred MRs were then subjected to functional enrichment and symbolic regression modeling. The latter approach was applied to identify the lncRNAs with greater predictive capacity and potential as a biomarker in mCRPC. RESULTS We identified 31 lncRNAs involved in cellular proliferation, tumor metabolism, and invasion-metastasis cascade. SNHG18 and HELLPAR were the highlights of our results. SNHG18 was downregulated in mCRPC and enriched to metastasis signatures. It accurately distinguished both mCRPC and primary CRPC from normal tissue and was associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell-matrix adhesion pathways. HELLPAR consistently distinguished mCRPC from primary CRPC and normal tissue using only its expression. CONCLUSION Our results contribute to understanding the regulatory behavior of lncRNAs in mCRPC and indicate SNHG18 and HELLPAR as master regulators and potential new diagnostic targets in this tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaella Sousa Ferraz
- Laboratory of Human and Medical Genetics, Institute of Biological SciencesFederal University of ParaBelemBrazil
| | | | - Leandro Magalhães
- Laboratory of Human and Medical Genetics, Institute of Biological SciencesFederal University of ParaBelemBrazil
| | - Ândrea Ribeiro‐dos‐Santos
- Laboratory of Human and Medical Genetics, Institute of Biological SciencesFederal University of ParaBelemBrazil
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4
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Zhu H, Tan J, Pan X, Ouyang H, Zhang Z, Li M, Zhao Y. HELLPAR/RRM2 axis related to HMMR as novel prognostic biomarker in gliomas. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:125. [PMID: 36750807 PMCID: PMC9903609 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-10596-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gliomas are the most frequent type of central nervous system tumor, accounting for more than 70% of all malignant CNS tumors. Recent research suggests that the hyaluronan-mediated motility receptor (HMMR) could be a novel potential tumor prognostic marker. Furthermore, mounting data has highlighted the important role of ceRNA regulatory networks in a variety of human malignancies. The complexity and behavioural characteristics of HMMR and the ceRNA network in gliomas, on the other hand, remained unknown. METHODS Transcriptomic expression data were collected from TCGA, GTEx, GEO, and CGGA database.The relationship between clinical variables and HMMR was analyzed with the univariate and multivariate Cox regression. Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess OS. TCGA data are analyzed and processed, and the correlation results obtained were used to perform GO, GSEA, and ssGSEA. Potentially interacting miRNAs and lncRNAs were predicted by miRWalk and StarBase. RESULTS HMMR was substantially expressed in gliomas tissues compared to normal tissues. Multivariate analysis revealed that high HMMR expression was an independent predictive predictor of OS in TCGA and CGGA. Functional enrichment analysis found that HMMR expression was associated with nuclear division and cell cycle. Base on ssGSEA analysis, The levels of HMMR expression in various types of immune cells differed significantly. Bioinformatics investigation revealed the HEELPAR-hsa-let-7i-5p-RRM2 ceRNA network, which was linked to gliomas prognosis. And through multiple analysis, the good predictive performance of HELLPAR/RRM2 axis for gliomas patients was confirmed. CONCLUSION This study provides multi-layered and multifaceted evidence for the importance of HMMR and establishes a HMMR-related ceRNA (HEELPAR-hsa-let-7i-5p-RRM2) overexpressed network related to the prognosis of gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaxin Zhu
- grid.412604.50000 0004 1758 4073Department of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17 Yongwaizheng Street, Nanchang, 330006 Jiangxi China
| | - Jiacong Tan
- grid.412604.50000 0004 1758 4073Department of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17 Yongwaizheng Street, Nanchang, 330006 Jiangxi China
| | - Xinyi Pan
- grid.260463.50000 0001 2182 8825Huankui Academy, Nanchang University, Honggutan New District, Jiangxi 330006 Nanchang, China
| | - Hengyang Ouyang
- grid.260463.50000 0001 2182 8825Huankui Academy, Nanchang University, Honggutan New District, Jiangxi 330006 Nanchang, China
| | - Zhixiong Zhang
- grid.412604.50000 0004 1758 4073Department of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17 Yongwaizheng Street, Nanchang, 330006 Jiangxi China
| | - Meihua Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17 Yongwaizheng Street, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
| | - Yeyu Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17 Yongwaizheng Street, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
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5
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Rong W, Shukun W, Xiaoqing W, Wenxin H, Mengyuan D, Chenyang M, Zhang H. Regulatory roles of non-coding RNAs and m6A modification in trophoblast functions and the occurrence of its related adverse pregnancy outcomes. Crit Rev Toxicol 2022; 52:681-713. [PMID: 36794364 DOI: 10.1080/10408444.2022.2144711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, fetal growth restriction, and recurrent miscarriage, occur frequently in pregnant women and might further induce morbidity and mortality for both mother and fetus. Increasing studies have shown that dysfunctions of human trophoblast are related to these adverse pregnancy outcomes. Recent studies also showed that environmental toxicants could induce trophoblast dysfunctions. Moreover, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been reported to play important regulatory roles in various cellular processes. However, the roles of ncRNAs in the regulation of trophoblast dysfunctions and the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes still need to be further investigated, especially with exposure to environmental toxicants. In this review, we analyzed the regulatory mechanisms of ncRNAs and m6A methylation modification in the dysfunctions of trophoblast cells and the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes and also summarized the harmful effects of environmental toxicants. In addition to DNA replication, mRNA transcription, and protein translation, ncRNAs and m6A modification might be considered as the fourth and fifth elements that regulate the genetic central dogma, respectively. Environmental toxicants might also affect these processes. In this review, we expect to provide a deeper scientific understanding of the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes and to discover potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of these outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Rong
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Female Reproductive Health, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Wan Shukun
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Female Reproductive Health, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.,Key Laboratory of Environment and Female Reproductive Health, West China School of Public Health & West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wang Xiaoqing
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Female Reproductive Health, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.,Key Laboratory of Environment and Female Reproductive Health, West China School of Public Health & West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huang Wenxin
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Female Reproductive Health, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dai Mengyuan
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Mi Chenyang
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Female Reproductive Health, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.,Key Laboratory of Environment and Female Reproductive Health, West China School of Public Health & West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huidong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Female Reproductive Health, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
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6
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Ganapathy K, Ngo C, Andl T, Coppola D, Park J, Chakrabarti R. Anti-cancer function of microRNA-30e is mediated by negative regulation of HELLPAR, a noncoding macroRNA, and genes involved in ubiquitination and cell cycle progression in prostate cancer. Mol Oncol 2022; 16:2936-2958. [PMID: 35612714 PMCID: PMC9394257 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) progression relies on androgen receptor (AR) function, making AR a top candidate for PCa therapy. However, development of drug resistance is common, which eventually leads to development of castration‐resistant PCa. This warrants a better understanding of the pathophysiology of PCa that facilitates the aberrant activation of key signaling pathways including AR. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) function as regulators of cancer progression as they modulate various cellular processes. Here, we demonstrate a multidimensional function of miR‐30e through the regulation of genes involved in various signaling pathways. We noted loss of miR‐30e expression in prostate tumors, which, when restored, led to cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis, improved drug sensitivity of PCa cells and reduced tumor progression in xenograft models. We show that experimental upregulation of miR‐30e reduces expression of mRNAs including AR, FBXO45, SRSF7 and MYBL2 and a novel long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) HELLPAR, which are involved in cell cycle, apoptosis and ubiquitination, and the effects could be rescued by inhibition of miR‐30e expression. RNA immunoprecipitation analysis confirmed direct interactions between miR‐30e and its RNA targets. We noted a newly identified reciprocal relationship between miR‐30e and HELLPAR, as inhibition of HELLPAR improved stabilization of miR‐30e. Transcriptome profiling and quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR) validation of miR‐30e‐expressing PCa cells showed differential expression of genes involved in cell cycle progression, apoptosis and ubiquitination, which supports our in vitro study. This study demonstrates an integrated function of miR‐30e on dysregulation of miRNA/lncRNA/mRNA axes that may have diagnostic and therapeutic significance in aggressive PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavya Ganapathy
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Christopher Ngo
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Thomas Andl
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Domenico Coppola
- Department of Pathology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, USA.,Florida Digestive Health Specialists, Bradenton, Florida, USA
| | - Jong Park
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Ratna Chakrabarti
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
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7
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Georgiadou D, Boussata S, Keijser R, Janssen DAM, Afink GB, van Dijk M. Knockdown of Splicing Complex Protein PCBP2 Reduces Extravillous Trophoblast Differentiation Through Transcript Switching. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:671806. [PMID: 34095140 PMCID: PMC8172583 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.671806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the LINC-HELLP non-coding RNA (HELLPAR) have been associated with familial forms of the pregnancy-specific HELLP syndrome. These mutations negatively affect extravillous trophoblast (EVT) differentiation from a proliferative to an invasive state and disturb the binding of RNA splicing complex proteins PCBP1, PCBP2, and YBX1 to LINC-HELLP. In this study, by using both in vitro and ex vivo experiments, we investigate if these proteins are involved in the regulation of EVT invasion during placentation. Additionally, we study if this regulation is due to alternative mRNA splicing. HTR-8/SVneo extravillous trophoblasts and human first trimester placental explants were used to investigate the effect of siRNA-mediated downregulation of PCBP1, PCBP2, and YBX1 genes on the differentiation of EVTs. Transwell invasion assays and proliferation assays indicated that upon knockdown of PCBP2 and, to a lesser extent, YBX1 and PCBP1, EVTs fail to differentiate toward an invasive phenotype. The same pattern was observed in placental explants where PCBP2 knockdown led to approximately 80% reduction in the number of explants showing any EVT outgrowth. Of the ones that still did show EVT outgrowth, the percentage of proliferating EVTs was significantly higher compared to explants transfected with non-targeting control siRNAs. To further investigate this effect of PCBP2 silencing on EVTs, we performed whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) on HTR-8/SVneo cells after PCBP2 knockdown. PCBP2 knockdown was found to have minimal effect on mRNA expression levels. In contrast, PCBP2 silencing led to a switch in splicing for a large number of genes with predominant functions in cellular assembly and organization, cellular function and maintenance, and cellular growth and proliferation and the cell cycle. EVTs, upon differentiation, alter their function to be able to invade the decidua of the mother by changing their cellular assembly and their proliferative activity by exiting the cell cycle. PCBP2 appears to be a paramount regulator of these differentiation mechanisms, where its disturbed binding to LINC-HELLP could contribute to dysfunctional placental development as seen in the HELLP syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danai Georgiadou
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Souad Boussata
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Remco Keijser
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Dianta A M Janssen
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Gijs B Afink
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Marie van Dijk
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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8
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de Goede OM, Nachun DC, Ferraro NM, Gloudemans MJ, Rao AS, Smail C, Eulalio TY, Aguet F, Ng B, Xu J, Barbeira AN, Castel SE, Kim-Hellmuth S, Park Y, Scott AJ, Strober BJ, Brown CD, Wen X, Hall IM, Battle A, Lappalainen T, Im HK, Ardlie KG, Mostafavi S, Quertermous T, Kirkegaard K, Montgomery SB. Population-scale tissue transcriptomics maps long non-coding RNAs to complex disease. Cell 2021; 184:2633-2648.e19. [PMID: 33864768 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.03.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) genes have well-established and important impacts on molecular and cellular functions. However, among the thousands of lncRNA genes, it is still a major challenge to identify the subset with disease or trait relevance. To systematically characterize these lncRNA genes, we used Genotype Tissue Expression (GTEx) project v8 genetic and multi-tissue transcriptomic data to profile the expression, genetic regulation, cellular contexts, and trait associations of 14,100 lncRNA genes across 49 tissues for 101 distinct complex genetic traits. Using these approaches, we identified 1,432 lncRNA gene-trait associations, 800 of which were not explained by stronger effects of neighboring protein-coding genes. This included associations between lncRNA quantitative trait loci and inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and coronary artery disease, as well as rare variant associations to body mass index.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia M de Goede
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Daniel C Nachun
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Nicole M Ferraro
- Biomedical Informatics Training Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michael J Gloudemans
- Biomedical Informatics Training Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Abhiram S Rao
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Craig Smail
- Biomedical Informatics Training Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Research Institute, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA
| | - Tiffany Y Eulalio
- Biomedical Informatics Training Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - François Aguet
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Bernard Ng
- Department of Statistics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Jishu Xu
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA
| | - Alvaro N Barbeira
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Stephane E Castel
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY 10013, USA; Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Sarah Kim-Hellmuth
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY 10013, USA; Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital LMU Munich, Munich 80337, Germany
| | - YoSon Park
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Alexandra J Scott
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Benjamin J Strober
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Christopher D Brown
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Xiaoquan Wen
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ira M Hall
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Alexis Battle
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Tuuli Lappalainen
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY 10013, USA; Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Hae Kyung Im
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Kristin G Ardlie
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Sara Mostafavi
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Thomas Quertermous
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Karla Kirkegaard
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Stephen B Montgomery
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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9
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Pisignano G, Ladomery M. Epigenetic Regulation of Alternative Splicing: How LncRNAs Tailor the Message. Noncoding RNA 2021; 7:ncrna7010021. [PMID: 33799493 PMCID: PMC8005942 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna7010021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing is a highly fine-tuned regulated process and one of the main drivers of proteomic diversity across eukaryotes. The vast majority of human multi-exon genes is alternatively spliced in a cell type- and tissue-specific manner, and defects in alternative splicing can dramatically alter RNA and protein functions and lead to disease. The eukaryotic genome is also intensively transcribed into long and short non-coding RNAs which account for up to 90% of the entire transcriptome. Over the years, lncRNAs have received considerable attention as important players in the regulation of cellular processes including alternative splicing. In this review, we focus on recent discoveries that show how lncRNAs contribute significantly to the regulation of alternative splicing and explore how they are able to shape the expression of a diverse set of splice isoforms through several mechanisms. With the increasing number of lncRNAs being discovered and characterized, the contribution of lncRNAs to the regulation of alternative splicing is likely to grow significantly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppina Pisignano
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
- Correspondence: (G.P.); (M.L.)
| | - Michael Ladomery
- Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, Coldharbour Lane, Frenchay, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK
- Correspondence: (G.P.); (M.L.)
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10
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Aznaourova M, Schmerer N, Schmeck B, Schulte LN. Disease-Causing Mutations and Rearrangements in Long Non-coding RNA Gene Loci. Front Genet 2020; 11:527484. [PMID: 33329688 PMCID: PMC7735109 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.527484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The classic understanding of molecular disease-mechanisms is largely based on protein-centric models. During the past decade however, genetic studies have identified numerous disease-loci in the human genome that do not encode proteins. Such non-coding DNA variants increasingly gain attention in diagnostics and personalized medicine. Of particular interest are long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) genes, which generate transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides that are not translated into proteins. While most of the estimated ~20,000 lncRNAs currently remain of unknown function, a growing number of genetic studies link lncRNA gene aberrations with the development of human diseases, including diabetes, AIDS, inflammatory bowel disease, or cancer. This suggests that the protein-centric view of human diseases does not capture the full complexity of molecular patho-mechanisms, with important consequences for molecular diagnostics and therapy. This review illustrates well-documented lncRNA gene aberrations causatively linked to human diseases and discusses potential lessons for molecular disease models, diagnostics, and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Aznaourova
- Institute for Lung Research, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Nils Schmerer
- Institute for Lung Research, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Bernd Schmeck
- Institute for Lung Research, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Systems Biology Platform, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Leon N Schulte
- Institute for Lung Research, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Systems Biology Platform, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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11
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Whole Genome Analysis and Prognostic Model Construction Based on Alternative Splicing Events in Endometrial Cancer. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 2019:2686875. [PMID: 31355251 PMCID: PMC6634061 DOI: 10.1155/2019/2686875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Objectives A growing body of evidence has shown that aberrant alternative splicing (AS) is closely related to the occurrence and development of cancer. However, prior studies mainly have concentrated on a few genes that exhibit aberrant AS. This study aimed to determine AS events through whole genome analysis and construct a prognostic model of endometrial cancer (EC). Methods We downloaded gene expression RNAseq data from UCSC Xena, and seven types of AS events from TCGA SpliceSeq. Univariate Cox regression was employed to analyze the prognostic-related alternative splicing events (PASEs) and splicing factors; multivariate Cox regression was conducted to analyze the effect of risk score (All) and clinicopathological parameters on EC prognosis. An underlying interaction network of PASEs of EC was constructed by Cytoscape Reactome FI, GO, and KEGG pathway enrichment was performed by DAVID. ROC curves and Kaplan-Meir analysis were used to assess the diagnostic value of prognostic model. The correlation between PASEs and splicing factors was analyzed by GraphPad Prism; then a network was constructed using Cytoscape. Results In total, 28,281 AS events in EC were identified, which consisted of 1166 PASEs. RNPS1, NEK2, and CTNNB1 were the hub genes in the network of the top 600 PASEs. The area under the curve (AUC) of risk score (All) reached 0.819. Risk score (All) together with FIGO stage, cancer status, and primary therapy outcome success was risk factors of the prognosis of EC patients. Splicing factors YBX1, HNRNPDL, and HNRNPA1 were significantly related to the overall survival (OS). The splicing network indicated that the expression of splicing factors was significantly correlated with percent-splice-in (PSI) value of PASEs. Conclusion We constructed a model for predicting the prognosis of EC patients based on PASEs using whole genome analysis of AS events and thereby provided a reliable theoretical basis for EC clinical prognosis evaluation.
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12
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Yang X, Meng T. Long Noncoding RNA in Preeclampsia: Transcriptional Noise or Innovative Indicators? BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 2019:5437621. [PMID: 31111058 PMCID: PMC6487157 DOI: 10.1155/2019/5437621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is termed as an obstetric issue that is characterized by hypertension (≧140/90 mm Hg), together with proteinuria following 20 weeks of pregnancy. Until today, PE still constitutes a severe threat to the lives of both the mothers and fetuses. In the past, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) were considered as the transcriptional noise. However, some investigations have indicated that lncRNAs could be used as innovative indicators in PE. The current review aims to discuss the relationship between lncRNAs and PE in recent years. According to the retrieved data, we concluded that lncRNAs can exert an impact on both the occurrence and development of PE through the changes in the biological functions of trophoblasts, immune regulation, epigenetic regulation, decidualization, and energy metabolism. The mechanisms of lncRNAs in PE will help us to better understand the pathogenesis of PE and help us to find targets for predicting and diagnosing PE in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuhua Yang
- Department of Obstetrics, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Tao Meng
- Department of Obstetrics, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
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Romero-Barrios N, Legascue MF, Benhamed M, Ariel F, Crespi M. Splicing regulation by long noncoding RNAs. Nucleic Acids Res 2018; 46:2169-2184. [PMID: 29425321 PMCID: PMC5861421 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Massive high-throughput sequencing techniques allowed the identification of thousands of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) and a plethora of different mRNA processing events occurring in higher organisms. Long ncRNAs can act directly as long transcripts or can be processed into active small si/miRNAs. They can modulate mRNA cleavage, translational repression or the epigenetic landscape of their target genes. Recently, certain long ncRNAs have been shown to play a crucial role in the regulation of alternative splicing in response to several stimuli or during disease. In this review, we focus on recent discoveries linking gene regulation by alternative splicing and its modulation by long and small ncRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natali Romero-Barrios
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, Universities Paris-Sud, Evry and Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment 630, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Maria Florencia Legascue
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral, CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Colectora Ruta Nacional 168 km 0, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Moussa Benhamed
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, Universities Paris-Sud, Evry and Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment 630, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Federico Ariel
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral, CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Colectora Ruta Nacional 168 km 0, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Martin Crespi
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, Universities Paris-Sud, Evry and Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment 630, 91405 Orsay, France
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14
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Early Detection of Preeclampsia Using Circulating Small non-coding RNA. Sci Rep 2018; 8:3401. [PMID: 29467498 PMCID: PMC5821867 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21604-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia is one of the most dangerous pregnancy complications, and the leading cause of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. Although the clinical symptoms appear late, its origin is early, and hence detection is feasible already at the first trimester. In the current study, we investigated the abundance of circulating small non-coding RNAs in the plasma of pregnant women in their first trimester, seeking transcripts that best separate the preeclampsia samples from those of healthy pregnant women. To this end, we performed small non-coding RNAs sequencing of 75 preeclampsia and control samples, and identified 25 transcripts that were differentially expressed between preeclampsia and the control groups. Furthermore, we utilized those transcripts and created a pipeline for a supervised classification of preeclampsia. Our pipeline generates a logistic regression model using a 5-fold cross validation on numerous random partitions into training and blind test sets. Using this classification procedure, we achieved an average AUC value of 0.86. These findings suggest the predictive value of circulating small non-coding RNA in the first trimester, warranting further examination, and lay the foundation for producing a novel early non-invasive diagnostic tool for preeclampsia, which could reduce the life-threatening risk for both the mother and fetus.
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15
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Saha P, Verma S, Pathak RU, Mishra RK. Long Noncoding RNAs in Mammalian Development and Diseases. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1008:155-198. [PMID: 28815540 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-5203-3_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Following analysis of sequenced genomes and transcriptome of many eukaryotes, it is evident that virtually all protein-coding genes have already been discovered. These advances have highlighted an intriguing paradox whereby the relative amount of protein-coding sequences remain constant but nonprotein-coding sequences increase consistently in parallel to increasing evolutionary complexity. It is established that differences between species map to nonprotein-coding regions of the genome that surprisingly is transcribed extensively. These transcripts regulate epigenetic processes and constitute an important layer of regulatory information essential for organismal development and play a causative role in diseases. The noncoding RNA-directed regulatory circuit controls complex characteristics. Sequence variations in noncoding RNAs influence evolution, quantitative traits, and disease susceptibility. This chapter presents an account on a class of such noncoding transcripts that are longer than 200 nucleotides (long noncoding RNA-lncRNA) in mammalian development and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parna Saha
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500007, India
| | - Shreekant Verma
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500007, India
| | - Rashmi U Pathak
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500007, India.
| | - Rakesh K Mishra
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500007, India.
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16
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Clawson GA, Matters GL, Xin P, McGovern C, Wafula E, dePamphilis C, Meckley M, Wong J, Stewart L, D’Jamoos C, Altman N, Imamura Kawasawa Y, Du Z, Honaas L, Abraham T. "Stealth dissemination" of macrophage-tumor cell fusions cultured from blood of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184451. [PMID: 28957348 PMCID: PMC5619717 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we describe isolation and characterization of macrophage-tumor cell fusions (MTFs) from the blood of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients. The MTFs were generally aneuploidy, and immunophenotypic characterizations showed that the MTFs express markers characteristic of PDAC and stem cells, as well as M2-polarized macrophages. Single cell RNASeq analyses showed that the MTFs express many transcripts implicated in cancer progression, LINE1 retrotransposons, and very high levels of several long non-coding transcripts involved in metastasis (such as MALAT1). When cultured MTFs were transplanted orthotopically into mouse pancreas, they grew as obvious well-differentiated islands of cells, but they also disseminated widely throughout multiple tissues in "stealth" fashion. They were found distributed throughout multiple organs at 4, 8, or 12 weeks after transplantation (including liver, spleen, lung), occurring as single cells or small groups of cells, without formation of obvious tumors or any apparent progression over the 4 to 12 week period. We suggest that MTFs form continually during PDAC development, and that they disseminate early in cancer progression, forming "niches" at distant sites for subsequent colonization by metastasis-initiating cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary A. Clawson
- Gittlen Cancer Research Laboratories and the Department of Pathology, Hershey Medical Center (HMC), Pennsylvania State University (PSU), Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Gail L. Matters
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, HMC, PSU, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Ping Xin
- Gittlen Cancer Research Laboratories and the Department of Pathology, Hershey Medical Center (HMC), Pennsylvania State University (PSU), Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Christopher McGovern
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, HMC, PSU, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Eric Wafula
- Department of Biology, Eberly College, University Park (UP), Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Claude dePamphilis
- Department of Biology, Eberly College, University Park (UP), Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Morgan Meckley
- Gittlen Cancer Research Laboratories and the Department of Pathology, Hershey Medical Center (HMC), Pennsylvania State University (PSU), Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Joyce Wong
- Department of Surgery, HMC, PSU, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Luke Stewart
- Applications Support, Fluidigm Corporation, South San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Christopher D’Jamoos
- Applications Support, Fluidigm Corporation, South San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Naomi Altman
- Department of Statistics, Eberly College, UP, PSU, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Yuka Imamura Kawasawa
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Institute for Personalized Medicine, HMC, PSU, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Zhen Du
- Gittlen Cancer Research Laboratories and the Department of Pathology, Hershey Medical Center (HMC), Pennsylvania State University (PSU), Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Loren Honaas
- Department of Biology, Eberly College, University Park (UP), Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Thomas Abraham
- Department of Neural & Behavioral Sciences and Microscopy Imaging Facility, HMC, PSU, Hershey, PA, United States of America
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17
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Mechanistic Insight into Long Noncoding RNAs and the Placenta. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18071371. [PMID: 28653993 PMCID: PMC5535864 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18071371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are classified as RNAs greater than 200 nucleotides in length that do not produce a protein product. lncRNAs are expressed with cellular and temporal specificity and have been shown to play a role in many cellular events, including the regulation of gene expression, post-transcriptional modifications and epigenetic modifications. Since lncRNAs were first discovered, there has been increasing evidence that they play important roles in the development and function of most organs, including the placenta. The placenta is an essential transient organ that facilitates communication and nutrient exchange between the mother and foetus. The placenta is of foetal origin and begins to form shortly after the embryo implants into the uterine wall. The placenta relies heavily on the successful differentiation and function of trophoblast cells, including invasion as well as the formation of the maternal/foetal interface. Here, we review the current literature surrounding the involvement of lncRNAs in the development and function of trophoblasts and the human placenta.
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18
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Long noncoding RNAs in the progression, metastasis, and prognosis of osteosarcoma. Cell Death Dis 2016; 7:e2389. [PMID: 27685633 PMCID: PMC5059871 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2016.272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Revised: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of non-protein-coding molecules longer than 200 nucleotides that are involved in the development and progression of many types of tumors. Numerous lncRNAs regulate cell proliferation, metastasis, and chemotherapeutic drug resistance. Osteosarcoma is one of the main bone tumor subtypes that poses a serious threat to adolescent health. We summarized how lncRNAs regulate osteosarcoma progression, invasion, and drug resistance, as well as how lncRNAs can function as biomarkers or independent prognostic indicators with respect to osteosarcoma therapy.
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19
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Signal B, Gloss BS, Dinger ME. Computational Approaches for Functional Prediction and Characterisation of Long Noncoding RNAs. Trends Genet 2016; 32:620-637. [PMID: 27592414 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2016.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Revised: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Although a considerable portion of eukaryotic genomes is transcribed as long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), the vast majority are functionally uncharacterised. The rapidly expanding catalogue of mechanistically investigated lncRNAs has provided evidence for distinct functional subclasses, which are now ripe for exploitation as a general model to predict functions for uncharacterised lncRNAs. By utilising publicly-available genome-wide datasets and computational methods, we present several developed and emerging in silico approaches to characterise and predict the functions of lncRNAs. We propose that the application of these techniques provides valuable functional and mechanistic insight into lncRNAs, and is a crucial step for informing subsequent functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany Signal
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Brian S Gloss
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Marcel E Dinger
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
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