Enhancer RNAs (eRNAs): New Insights into Gene Transcription and Disease Treatment

Enhancers associated with unstable RNAs are rare in plants

Unstable transcripts have emerged as markers of active enhancers in vertebrates and shown to be involved in many cellular processes and medical disorders. However, their prevalence and role in plants is largely unexplored. Here, we comprehensively captured all actively initiating (nascent) transcripts across diverse crops and other plants using capped small (cs)RNA sequencing. We discovered that unstable transcripts are rare in plants, unlike in vertebrates, and when present, often originate from promoters. In addition, many 'distal' elements in plants initiate tissue-specific stable transcripts and are likely bona fide promoters of as-yet-unannotated genes or non-coding RNAs, cautioning against using reference genome annotations to infer putative enhancer sites. To investigate enhancer function, we integrated data from self-transcribing active regulatory region (STARR) sequencing. We found that annotated promoters and other regions that initiate stable transcripts, but not those marked by unstable or bidirectional unstable transcripts, showed stronger enhancer activity in this assay. Our findings underscore the blurred line between promoters and enhancers and suggest that cis-regulatory elements can encompass diverse structures and mechanisms in eukaryotes, including humans.

Nuclear miRNAs: Gene Regulation Activities

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs which contribute to the regulation of many physiological and pathological processes. Conventionally, miRNAs perform their activity in the cytoplasm where they regulate gene expression by interacting in a sequence-specific manner with mature messenger RNAs. Recent studies point to the presence of mature miRNAs in the nucleus. This review summarizes current findings regarding the molecular activities of nuclear miRNAs. These molecules can regulate gene expression at the transcriptional level by directly binding DNA on the promoter or the enhancer of regulated genes. miRNAs recruit different protein complexes to these regions, resulting in activation or repression of transcription, through a number of molecular mechanisms. Hematopoiesis is presented as a paradigmatic biological process whereby nuclear miRNAs possess a relevant regulatory role. Nuclear miRNAs can influence gene expression by affecting nuclear mRNA processing and by regulating pri-miRNA maturation, thus impacting the biogenesis of miRNAs themselves. Overall, nuclear miRNAs are biologically active molecules that can be critical for the fine tuning of gene expression and deserve further studies in a number of physiological and pathological conditions.

Long Non-Coding RNAs in Sjögren's Disease

Sjögren's disease (SjD) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease characterized by severe dryness of mucosal surfaces, particularly the mouth and eyes; fatigue; and chronic pain. Chronic inflammation of the salivary and lacrimal glands, auto-antibody formation, and extra-glandular manifestations occur in subsets of patients with SjD. An aberrant expression of long, non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been described in many autoimmune diseases, including SjD. Here, we review the current literature on lncRNAs in SjD and their role in regulating X chromosome inactivation, immune modulatory functions, and their potential as biomarkers.

Identification of key eRNAs for intervertebral disc degeneration by integrated multinomial bioinformatics analysis

BACKGROUND

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a common degenerative condition leading to abnormal stress distribution under load, causing intervertebral stenosis, facet joint degeneration, and foraminal stenosis. Very little is known about the molecular mechanism of eRNAs in IVDD.

METHODS

Gene expression profiles of 38 annulus disc samples composed of 27 less degenerated discs (LDs) and 11 more degenerated discs (MDs) were retrieved from the GEO database. Then, differentially expressed enhancer RNAs (DEeRNAs), differentially expressed target genes (DETGs), and differentially expressed transcription factors (DETFs), hallmark of cancer signalling pathways according to GSVA; the types and quantity of immune cells according to CIBERSORT; and immune gene sets according to ssGSEA were analysed to construct an IVDD-related eRNA network. Then, multidimensional validation was performed to explore the interactions among DEeRNAs, DETFs and DEGs in space.

RESULTS

A total of 53 components, 14 DETGs, 15 DEeRNAs, 3 DETFs, 5 immune cells, 9 hallmarks, and 7 immune gene sets, were selected to construct the regulatory network. After validation by online multidimensional databases, 21 interactive DEeRNA-DEG-DETF axes related to IVDD exacerbation were identified, among which the C1S-CTNNB1-CHD4 axis was the most significant.

CONCLUSION

Based upon the results of our study, we theorize that the C1S-CTNNB1-CHD4 axis plays a vital role in IVDD exacerbation. Specifically, C1S recruits CTNNB1 and upregulates the expression of CHD4 in IVDD, and subsequently, CHD4 suppresses glycolysis and activates oxidative phosphorylation, thus generating insoluble collagen fibre deposits and leading to the progression of IVDD. Overall, these DEeRNAs could comprise promising therapeutic targets for IVDD due to their high tissue specificity.

Noncanonical functions of microRNAs in the nucleus

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that play their roles in the regulation of physiological and pathological processes. Originally, it was assumed that miRNAs only modulate gene expression posttranscriptionally in the cytoplasm by inducing target mRNA degradation. However, with further research, evidence shows that mature miRNAs also exist in the cell nucleus, where they can impact gene transcription and ncRNA maturation in several ways. This review provides an overview of novel models of nuclear miRNA functions. Some of the models remain to be verified by experimental evidence, and more details of the miRNA regulation network remain to be discovered in the future.

Integrated analysis of transcriptome and epigenome reveals ENSR00000272060 as a potential biomarker in gastric cancer

Background: Enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) are involved in gene expression regulation. Although functional roles of eRNAs in the pathophysiology of neoplasms have been reported, their involvement in gastric cancer (GC) is less known. Materials & methods: A network-based integrative approach was utilized for analyzing transcriptome and epigenome alterations in GC, and an eRNA was selected for experimental validation. Survival analysis and clinicopathological associations were also performed. Results: A hub eRNA, ENSR00000272060, showed significantly increased expression in tumor versus nontumor tissues, as well as an association with clinicopathological features. A seven-gene prognostic model was also constructed. Conclusion: The constructed network provides a comprehensive understanding of the underlying processes implicated in the progression of GC, along with a starting point from which to derive potential diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers.

lncRNA-microRNA axis in cancer drug resistance: particular focus on signaling pathways

Cancer drug resistance remains a formidable challenge in modern oncology, necessitating innovative therapeutic strategies. The convergence of intricate regulatory networks involving long non-coding RNAs, microRNAs, and pivotal signaling pathways has emerged as a crucial determinant of drug resistance. This review underscores the multifaceted roles of lncRNAs and miRNAs in orchestrating gene expression and cellular processes, mainly focusing on their interactions with specific signaling pathways. Dysregulation of these networks leads to the acquisition of drug resistance, dampening the efficacy of conventional treatments. The review highlights the potential therapeutic avenues unlocked by targeting these non-coding RNAs. Developing specific inhibitors or mimics for lncRNAs and miRNAs, alone or in combination with conventional chemotherapy, emerges as a promising strategy. In addition, epigenetic modulators, immunotherapies, and personalized medicine present exciting prospects in tackling drug resistance. While substantial progress has been made, challenges, including target validation and safety assessment, remain. The review emphasizes the need for continued research to overcome these hurdles and underscores the transformative potential of lncRNA-miRNA interplay in revolutionizing cancer therapy.

Novel insight into the etiology of ischemic stroke gained by integrative multiome-wide association study

Stroke, characterized by sudden neurological deficits, is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully identified many genomic regions associated with ischemic stroke (IS), the genes underlying risk and their regulatory mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we integrate a large-scale GWAS (N = 1 296 908) for IS together with molecular QTLs data, including mRNA, splicing, enhancer RNA (eRNA), and protein expression data from up to 50 tissues (total N = 11 588). We identify 136 genes/eRNA/proteins associated with IS risk across 60 independent genomic regions and find IS risk is most enriched for eQTLs in arterial and brain-related tissues. Focusing on IS-relevant tissues, we prioritize 9 genes/proteins using probabilistic fine-mapping TWAS analyses. In addition, we discover that blood cell traits, particularly reticulocyte cells, have shared genetic contributions with IS using TWAS-based pheWAS and genetic correlation analysis. Lastly, we integrate our findings with a large-scale pharmacological database and identify a secondary bile acid, deoxycholic acid, as a potential therapeutic component. Our work highlights IS risk genes/splicing-sites/enhancer activity/proteins with their phenotypic consequences using relevant tissues as well as identify potential therapeutic candidates for IS.

Bromodomain Proteins Epigenetically Regulate the Mitotically Associated lncRNA MANCR in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)-mediated control of gene expression contributes to regulation of biological processes that include proliferation and phenotype, as well as compromised expression of genes that are functionally linked to cancer initiation and tumor progression. lncRNAs have emerged as novel targets and biomarkers in breast cancer. We have shown that mitotically associated lncRNA MANCR is expressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and that it serves a critical role in promoting genome stability and survival in aggressive breast cancer cells. Using an siRNA strategy, we selectively depleted BRD2, BRD3, and BRD4, singly and in combination, to establish which bromodomain proteins regulate MANCR expression in TNBC cells. Our findings were confirmed by using in situ hybridization combined with immunofluorescence analysis that revealed BRD4, either alone or with BRD2 and BRD3, can support MANCR regulation of TNBC cells. Here we provide evidence for MANCR-responsive epigenetic control of super enhancers by histone modifications that are required for gene transcription to support cell survival and expression of the epithelial tumor phenotype in triple negative breast cancer cells.

Comprehensive Pan-Cancer Mutation Density Patterns in Enhancer RNA

Significant advances have been achieved in understanding the critical role of enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) in the complex field of gene regulation. However, notable uncertainty remains concerning the biology of eRNAs, highlighting the need for continued research to uncover their exact functions in cellular processes and diseases. We present a comprehensive study to scrutinize mutation density patterns, mutation strand bias, and mutation burden in eRNAs across multiple cancer types. Our findings reveal that eRNAs exhibit mutation strand bias akin to that observed in protein-coding RNAs. We also identified a novel pattern, in which mutation density is notably diminished around the central region of the eRNA, but conspicuously elevated towards both the beginning and end. This pattern can be potentially explained by a mechanism involving heightened transcriptional activity and the activation of transcription-coupled repair. The central regions of the eRNAs appear to be more conserved, hinting at a potential mechanism preserving their structural and functional integrity, while the extremities may be more susceptible to mutations due to increased exposure. The evolutionary trajectory of this mutational pattern suggests a nuanced adaptation in eRNAs, where stability at their core coexists with flexibility at their extremities, potentially facilitating their diverse interactions with other genetic entities.

Associations of genome-wide structural variations with phenotypic differences in cross-bred Eurasian pigs

BACKGROUND

During approximately 10,000 years of domestication and selection, a large number of structural variations (SVs) have emerged in the genome of pig breeds, profoundly influencing their phenotypes and the ability to adapt to the local environment. SVs (≥ 50 bp) are widely distributed in the genome, mainly in the form of insertion (INS), mobile element insertion (MEI), deletion (DEL), duplication (DUP), inversion (INV), and translocation (TRA). While studies have investigated the SVs in pig genomes, genome-wide association studies (GWAS)-based on SVs have been rarely conducted.

RESULTS

Here, we obtained a high-quality SV map containing 123,151 SVs from 15 Large White and 15 Min pigs through integrating the power of several SV tools, with 53.95% of the SVs being reported for the first time. These high-quality SVs were used to recover the population genetic structure, confirming the accuracy of genotyping. Potential functional SV loci were then identified based on positional effects and breed stratification. Finally, GWAS were performed for 36 traits by genotyping the screened potential causal loci in the F2 population according to their corresponding genomic positions. We identified a large number of loci involved in 8 carcass traits and 6 skeletal traits on chromosome 7, with FKBP5 containing the most significant SV locus for almost all traits. In addition, we found several significant loci in intramuscular fat, abdominal circumference, heart weight, and liver weight, etc. CONCLUSIONS: We constructed a high-quality SV map using high-coverage sequencing data and then analyzed them by performing GWAS for 25 carcass traits, 7 skeletal traits, and 4 meat quality traits to determine that SVs may affect body size between European and Chinese pig breeds.

Knockdown of LINC00702 inhibits the growth and induces apoptosis of breast cancer through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are essential in many biological areas like cell growth and apoptosis. The role of recently discovered LINC00702 is yet to be explored. Therefore, we wanted to elucidate its role in breast cancer (BC) with bioinformatic and various methods. LINC00702 expression was predicted using bioinformatic analysis and confirmed by RT-qPCR. Furthermore, the impact of LINC00702 knockdown on BC progression was evaluated. High LINC00702 level could lead to a worse outcome in BC patients. Additionally, CCK-8, EdU,and Annexin V-APC7/AAD experiments showed that LINC00702 knockdown inhibited the growth of BT-474 and T-47D cells and promoted their apoptosis. Moreover, in vivo experiments showed that shLINC00702-2 significantly reduced tumor sizes and suppressed c-Myc and β-catenin expressions. On the contrary, a rescue assay showed that HLY78, an activator of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, reversed the cell-inhibiting impact of LINC00702 knockdown. LINC00702 is an oncogenic lncRNA that promotes BC progression by stimulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and downstream proteins, making it a promising target for further research on BC treatment.

Enhancers associated with unstable RNAs are rare in plants

Unstable transcripts have emerged as markers of active enhancers in vertebrates and shown to be involved in many cellular processes and medical disorders. However, their prevalence and role in plants is largely unexplored. Here, we comprehensively captured all actively initiating ("nascent") transcripts across diverse crops and other plants using capped small (cs)RNA-seq. We discovered that unstable transcripts are rare, unlike in vertebrates, and often originate from promoters. Additionally, many "distal" elements in plants initiate tissue-specific stable transcripts and are likely bone fide promoters of yet-unannotated genes or non-coding RNAs, cautioning against using genome annotations to infer "enhancers" or transcript stability. To investigate enhancer function, we integrated STARR-seq data. We found that annotated promoters, and other regions that initiate stable transcripts rather than unstable transcripts, function as stronger enhancers in plants. Our findings underscore the blurred line between promoters and enhancers and suggest that cis-regulatory elements encompass diverse structures and mechanisms in eukaryotes.

Involvement of lncRNAs in cancer cells migration, invasion and metastasis: cytoskeleton and ECM crosstalk

Cancer is the main cause of death worldwide and metastasis is a major cause of poor prognosis and cancer-associated mortality. Metastatic conversion of cancer cells is a multiplex process, including EMT through cytoskeleton remodeling and interaction with TME. Tens of thousands of putative lncRNAs have been identified, but the biological functions of most are still to be identified. However, lncRNAs have already emerged as key regulators of gene expression at transcriptional and post-transcriptional level to control gene expression in a spatio-temporal fashion. LncRNA-dependent mechanisms can control cell fates during development and their perturbed expression is associated with the onset and progression of many diseases including cancer. LncRNAs have been involved in each step of cancer cells metastasis through different modes of action. The investigation of lncRNAs different roles in cancer metastasis could possibly lead to the identification of new biomarkers and innovative cancer therapeutic options.

Insights into Enhancer RNAs: Biogenesis and Emerging Role in Brain Diseases

Enhancers are cis-acting elements that control the transcription of target genes and are transcribed into a class of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) termed enhancer RNAs (eRNAs). eRNAs have shorter half-lives than mRNAs and long noncoding RNAs; however, the frequency of transcription of eRNAs is close to that of mRNAs. eRNA expression is associated with a high level of histone mark H3K27ac and a low level of H3K27me3. Although eRNAs only account for a small proportion of ncRNAs, their functions are important. eRNAs can not only increase enhancer activity by promoting the formation of enhancer-promoter loops but also regulate transcriptional activation. Increasing numbers of studies have found that eRNAs play an important role in the occurrence and development of brain diseases; however, further research into eRNAs is required. This review discusses the concept, characteristics, classification, function, and potential roles of eRNAs in brain diseases.

Novel insight into the etiology of ischemic stroke gained by integrative transcriptome-wide association study

Stroke, characterized by sudden neurological deficits, is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully identified many genomic regions associated with ischemic stroke (IS), the genes underlying risk and their regulatory mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we integrate a large-scale GWAS (N=1,296,908) for IS together with mRNA, splicing, enhancer RNA (eRNA) and protein expression data (N=11,588) from 50 tissues. We identify 136 genes/eRNA/proteins associated with IS risk across 54 independent genomic regions and find IS risk is most enriched for eQTLs in arterial and brain-related tissues. Focusing on IS-relevant tissues, we prioritize 9 genes/proteins using probabilistic fine-mapping TWAS analyses. In addition, we discover that blood cell traits, particularly reticulocyte cells, have shared genetic contributions with IS using TWAS-based pheWAS and genetic correlation analysis. Lastly, we integrate our findings with a large-scale pharmacological database and identify a secondary bile acid, deoxycholic acid, as a potential therapeutic component. Our work highlights IS risk genes/splicing-sites/enhancer activity/proteins with their phenotypic consequences using relevant tissues as well as identify potential therapeutic candidates for IS.

The long and short: Non-coding RNAs in the mammalian inner ear

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a critical role in the entire body, and their mis-regulation is often associated with disease. In parallel with the advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies, there is a great deal of focus on this broad class of RNAs. Although these molecules are not translated into proteins, they are now well established as significant regulatory components in many biological pathways and pathological conditions. ncRNAs can be roughly divided into two main sub-groups based on the length of the transcript, with both the small and long non-coding RNAs having diverse regulatory functions. The smaller length group includes ribosomal RNAs (rRNA), transfer RNAs (tRNA), small nuclear RNAs (snRNA), small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNA), microRNAs (miRNA), small interfering RNAs (siRNA), and PIWI-associated RNAs (piRNA). The longer length group includes linear long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) and circular RNAs (circRNA). This review is designed to present the different classes of small and long ncRNA molecules and describe some of their known roles in physiological and pathological conditions, as well as methods used to assess the validity and function of miRNAs and lncRNAs, with a focus on their role and functions in the inner ear, hearing and deafness.

Functional Relationships between Long Non-Coding RNAs and Estrogen Receptor Alpha: A New Frontier in Hormone-Responsive Breast Cancer Management

In the complex and articulated machinery of the human genome, less than 2% of the transcriptome encodes for proteins, while at least 75% is actively transcribed into non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Among the non-coding transcripts, those ≥200 nucleotides long (lncRNAs) are receiving growing attention for their involvement in human diseases, particularly cancer. Genomic studies have revealed the multiplicity of processes, including neoplastic transformation and tumor progression, in which lncRNAs are involved by regulating gene expression at epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels by mechanism(s) that still need to be clarified. In breast cancer, several lncRNAs were identified and demonstrated to have either oncogenic or tumor-suppressive roles. The functional understanding of the mechanisms of lncRNA action in this disease could represent a potential for translational applications, as these molecules may serve as novel biomarkers of clinical use and potential therapeutic targets. This review highlights the relationship between lncRNAs and the principal hallmark of the luminal breast cancer phenotype, estrogen receptor α (ERα), providing an overview of new potential ways to inhibit estrogenic signaling via this nuclear receptor toward escaping resistance to endocrine therapy.

Systematic Identification of Methyl Jasmonate-Responsive Long Noncoding RNAs and Their Nearby Coding Genes Unveils Their Potential Defence Roles in Tobacco BY-2 Cells

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are distributed in various species and play critical roles in plant growth, development, and defence against stimuli. However, the lncRNA response to methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment has not been well characterized in Nicotiana tabacum Bright Yellow-2 (BY-2) cells, and their roles in plant defence remain elusive. Here, 7848 reliably expressed lncRNAs were identified in BY-2 cells, of which 629 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs were characterized as MeJA-responsive lncRNAs. The lncRNAs in BY-2 cells had a strong genus specificity in Nicotiana. The combined analysis of the cis-regulated lncRNAs and their target genes revealed the potential up- and downregulated target genes that are responsible for different biological functions and metabolic patterns. In addition, some lncRNAs for response-associated target genes might be involved in plant defence and stress resistance via their MeJA- and defence-related cis-regulatory elements. Moreover, some MeJA-responsive lncRNA target genes were related to quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase, lipoxygenases, and endopeptidase inhibitors, which may contribute to nicotine synthesis and disease and insect resistance, indicating that MeJA-responsive lncRNAs regulate nicotine biosynthesis and disease resistance by regulating their potential target genes in BY-2 cells. Therefore, our results provide more targets for genetically engineering the nicotine content and plant defence in tobacco plants.

Targeting phase separation on enhancers induced by transcription factor complex formations as a new strategy for treating drug-resistant cancers

The limited options for treating patients with drug-resistant cancers have emphasized the need to identify alternative treatment targets. Tumor cells have large super-enhancers (SEs) in the vicinity of important oncogenes for activation. The physical process of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) contributes to the assembly of several membrane-less organelles in mammalian cells. Intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) of proteins induce LLPS formation by developing condensates. It was discovered that key transcription factors (TFs) undergo LLPS in SEs. In addition, TFs play critical roles in the epigenetic and genetic regulation of cancer progression. Recently, we revealed the essential role of disease-specific TF collaboration changes in advanced prostate cancer (PC). OCT4 confers epigenetic changes by promoting complex formation with TFs, such as Forkhead box protein A1 (FOXA1), androgen receptor (AR) and Nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1), inducing PC progression. It was demonstrated that TF collaboration through LLPS underlying transcriptional activation contributes to cancer aggressiveness and drug resistance. Moreover, the disruption of TF-mediated LLPS inhibited treatment-resistant PC tumor growth. Therefore, we propose that repression of TF collaborations involved in the LLPS of SEs could be a promising strategy for advanced cancer therapy. In this article, we summarize recent evidence highlighting the formation of LLPS on enhancers as a potent therapeutic target in advanced cancers.

Progress in Expression Pattern and Molecular Regulation Mechanism of LncRNA in Bovine Mastitis

Simple Summary

Bovine mastitis is an inflammatory disease of the mammary glands that causes serious harm to cow health and huge economic losses. Susceptibility or resistance to mastitis in individual cows is mainly determined by genetic factors, including coding genes and non-coding genes. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-coding RNA molecules with a length of more than 200 nucleotides (nt) that have recently been discovered. They can regulate a variety of diseases of humans and animals, especially the immune response and inflammatory disease process. This paper reviews the role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in inflammatory diseases, emphasizes on the latest research progress of lncRNA expression and the molecular regulatory mechanism in bovine mastitis, and looks forward to the research and application prospect of lncRNA in bovine mastitis, intending to provide a reference for scientific researchers to systematically understand this research field.

Abstract

Bovine mastitis is an inflammatory disease caused by pathogenic microbial infection, trauma, or other factors. Its morbidity is high, and it is difficult to cure, causing great harm to the health of cows and the safety of dairy products. Susceptibility or resistance to mastitis in individual cows is mainly determined by genetic factors, including coding genes and non-coding genes. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of endogenous non-coding RNA molecules with a length of more than 200 nucleotides (nt) that have recently been discovered. They can regulate the immune response of humans and animals on three levels (transcription, epigenetic modification, and post-transcription), and are widely involved in the pathological process of inflammatory diseases. Over the past few years, extensive findings revealed basic roles of lncRNAs in inflammation, especially bovine mastitis. This paper reviews the expression pattern and mechanism of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in inflammatory diseases, emphasizes on the latest research progress of the lncRNA expression pattern and molecular regulatory mechanism in bovine mastitis, analyzes the molecular regulatory network of differentially expressed lncRNAs, and looks forward to the research and application prospect of lncRNA in bovine mastitis, laying a foundation for molecular breeding and the biological therapy of bovine mastitis.

Biologia Futura: progress and future perspectives of long non-coding RNAs in forest trees

Forest trees are affected by climate change, anthropogenic pressure, as well as abiotic and biotic stresses. Conventional tree breeding has so far been limited to enhance overall productivity, and our understanding of the genetic basis of quantitative traits is still inadequate. Quantum leaps in next-generation sequencing technologies and bioinformatics have permitted the exploration and identification of various non-coding regions of the genome other than protein coding genes. These genomic regions produce various types of non-coding RNAs and regulate myriads of biological functions at epigenetic, transcriptional and translational levels. Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) which act as molecular switch have been identified to be pivotal molecules in forest trees. This review focuses on progress made in regulatory mechanisms in various developmental phases like wood formation, adventitious rooting and flowering and stress responses. It was predicted that complex regulatory interactions among lncRNA, miRNA and gene exist. LncRNAs can function as a sponge for miRNAs, reducing the suppressive effect of miRNAs on target mRNAs and perhaps adding a new layer of regulatory interactions among non-coding RNA classes in trees. Furthermore, network analysis revealed the interactions of lncRNA and genes during the expression of several important genes. The insights generated about lncRNAs in forest trees would enable improvement of economically important traits including the devastating abiotic and biotic stresses. In addition, solid understanding on the wide range of regulatory functions of lncRNAs on traits influencing biomass productivity and adaptation would aid the applications of biotechnology in genetic improvement of forest trees.

EMX2OS plays a prognosis-associated enhancer RNA role in gastric cancer

Enhancer RNAs (eRNAs), a subclass of lncRNAs, are derived from enhancer regions. The function of eRNAs has been reported by many previous studies. However, the role of eRNAs in gastric cancer, especially the prognosis-associated eRNAs, has not been studied yet.In this study, we have used a novel approach to screened key eRNAs in gastric cancer. Kaplan-Meier correlation analysis and Co-expression analysis were used to find the most significant survival-associated eRNAs. Enrichment analysis is applied to explore the key functions and pathways of screened eRNAs. The correlation and survival analysis are used to evaluate targeted genes in the pan-cancer analysisA total of 63 prognostic-associated eRNAs in gastric cancer were identified, the top 6 eRNAs were LINC01714, ZNF192P1, AC079760.2, LINC01645, EMX2OS, and AC114489.2. The correlation analysis demonstrated the top 10 screened eRNAs and their targeted genes. The results demonstrated that EMX2OS was ranked as the top eRNA according to the results of the Kaplan-Meier analysis. The correlation analysis demonstrated that eRNA EMX2OS is correlated with age, grade, stage, and cancer status. The pan-cancer analysis demonstrated that EMX2OS was associated with poor survival outcomes in adrenocortical carcinoma, cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma, kidney renal clear cell carcinoma, stomach adenocarcinoma, and uveal melanoma.In this study, survival-related eRNAs were screened and the correlation between survival-related eRNAs and their targeted genes was demonstrated. EMX2OS plays a prognosis-associated eRNA role in gastric cancer, which might be a novel therapeutic target in clinical practice.

Sex-based eRNA expression and function in ischemic stroke

Enhancer-derived RNAs (eRNAs) are a new class of long noncoding RNA that have roles in modulating enhancer-mediated gene transcription, which ultimately influences phenotypic outcomes. We recently published the first study mapping genome-wide eRNA expression in the male mouse cortex during ischemic stroke and identified 77 eRNAs that were significantly altered following a 1 h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and 6 h of reperfusion, as compared to sham controls. Knockdown of one such stroke-induced eRNA - eRNA_06347 - resulted in significantly larger infarcts, demonstrating a role for eRNA_06347 in modulating the post-stroke pathophysiology in males. In the current study, we applied quantitative real-time PCR to evaluate whether the 77 eRNAs identified in the male cortex also show altered expression in the post-stroke female cortex. Using age-matched and time-matched female mice, we found that only a subset of the 77 eRNAs were detected in the post-stroke female cortex. Of these, only a small fraction showed similar temporal expression characteristics as males, including eRNA_06347 which was highly induced in both sexes. Knockdown of eRNA_06347 in the female cortex resulted in significantly increased infarct volumes that were closely matched to those in males, indicating that eRNA_06347 modulates the post-stroke pathophysiology similarly in males and females. This suggests a common underlying role for eRNA_06347 in the two sexes. Overall, this is the first study to evaluate eRNA expression and perturbation in the female cortex during stroke, and present a comparative analysis between males and females. Our findings show that eRNAs have sex-dependent and sex-independent expression patterns that may be of significance to the pathophysiological responses to stroke in the two sexes.

Pterostilbene Changes Epigenetic Marks at Enhancer Regions of Oncogenes in Breast Cancer Cells

Epigenetic aberrations are linked to sporadic breast cancer. Interestingly, certain dietary polyphenols with anti-cancer effects, such as pterostilbene (PTS), have been shown to regulate gene expression by altering epigenetic patterns. Our group has proposed the involvement of DNA methylation and DNA methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B) as vital players in PTS-mediated suppression of candidate oncogenes and suggested a role of enhancers as target regions. In the present study, we assess a genome-wide impact of PTS on epigenetic marks at enhancers in highly invasive MCF10CA1a breast cancer cells. Following chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-sequencing in MCF10CA1a cells treated with 7 μM PTS for 9 days, we discovered that PTS leads to increased binding of DNMT3B at enhancers of 77 genes, and 17 of those genes display an overlapping decrease in the occupancy of trimethylation at lysine 36 of histone 3 (H3K36me3), a mark of active enhancers. We selected two genes, PITPNC1 and LINC00910, and found that their enhancers are hypermethylated in response to PTS. These changes coincided with the downregulation of gene expression. Of importance, we showed that 6 out of 17 target enhancers, including PITPNC1 and LINC00910, are bound by an oncogenic transcription factor OCT1 in MCF10CA1a cells. Indeed, the six enhancers corresponded to genes with established or putative cancer-driving functions. PTS led to a decrease in OCT1 binding at those enhancers, and OCT1 depletion resulted in PITPNC1 and LINC00910 downregulation, further demonstrating a role for OCT1 in transcriptional regulation. Our findings provide novel evidence for the epigenetic regulation of enhancer regions by dietary polyphenols in breast cancer cells.

Individual functions of the histone acetyl transferases CBP and p300 in regulating the inflammatory response of synovial fibroblasts

Chromatin remodeling, and a persistent histone 3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) in particular, are associated with a sustained inflammatory response of synovial fibroblasts (SF) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here we investigated individual functions of the writers of H3K27ac marks, the homologues histone acetyl transferases (HAT) CBP and p300, in controlling the constitutive and inflammatory gene expression in RA SF. We applied a silencing strategy, followed by RNA-sequencing and pathway analysis, complemented with the treatment of SF with inhibitors targeting the HAT (C646) or bromo domains (I-CBP) of CBP and p300. We showed that CBP and p300 undertook overlapping and, in particular at gene levels, distinct regulatory functions in SF. p300 is the major HAT for H3K27ac in SF and regulated more diverse pathways than CBP. Whereas both factors regulated genes associated with extracellular matrix remodeling, adhesion and proliferation, p300 specifically controlled developmental genes associated with limb development. Silencing of CBP specifically down regulated the TNF-induced expression of interferon-signature genes. In contrast, silencing of p300 resulted in anti- and pro-inflammatory effects. Integration of data sets derived from RNA-sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing for H3K27ac revealed that changes in gene expression after CBP or p300 silencing could be only partially explained by changes in levels of H3K27ac. Inhibition of CBP/p300 using HAT and bromo domain inhibitors strongly mirrored effects obtained by silencing of p300, including anti- and pro-inflammatory effects, indicating that such inhibitors are not sufficient to be used as anti-inflammatory drugs.

A Robust Prognostic Gene Signature Based on eRNAs-Driven Genes in Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common malignancy in men, but its exact pathogenetic mechanisms remain unclear. This study explores the effect of enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) in PCa. Firstly, we screened eRNAs and eRNA -driven genes from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, which are related to the disease-free survival (DFS) of PCa patients;. screening methods included bootstrapping, Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis, and Pearson correlation analysis. Then, a risk score model was established using multivariate Cox analysis, and the results were validated in three independent cohorts. Finally, we explored the function of eRNA-driven genes through enrichment analysis and analyzed drug sensitivity on datasets from the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer database. We constructed and validated a robust prognostic gene signature involving three eRNA-driven genes namely MAPK15, ZNF467, and MC1R. Moreover, we evaluated the function of eRNA-driven genes associated with tumor microenvironment (TME) and tumor mutational burden (TMB), and identified remarkable differences in drug sensitivity between high- and low-risk groups. This study identified a prognostic gene signature, which provides new insights into the role of eRNAs and eRNA-driven genes while assisting clinicians to determine the prognosis and appropriate treatment options for patients with PCa.

Genomic Landscapes of Noncoding RNAs Regulating VEGFA and VEGFC Expression in Endothelial Cells

Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) are best known as key regulators of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. Although VEGFs have been promising therapeutic targets for various cardiovascular diseases, their regulatory landscape in endothelial cells remains elusive. Several studies have highlighted the involvement of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in the modulation of VEGF expression. In this study, we investigated the role of two classes of ncRNAs, long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) and enhancer RNAs (eRNAs), in the transcriptional regulation of VEGFA and VEGFC. By integrating genome-wide global run-on sequencing (GRO-Seq) and chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) data, we identified putative lncRNAs and eRNAs associated with VEGFA and VEGFC genes in endothelial cells. A subset of the identified putative enhancers demonstrated regulatory activity in a reporter assay. Importantly, we demonstrate that deletion of enhancers and lncRNAs by CRISPR/Cas9 promoted significant changes in VEGFA and VEGFC expression. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) data from lncRNA deletions showed downstream factors implicated in VEGFA- and VEGFC-linked pathways, such as angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, suggesting functional roles for these lncRNAs. Our study uncovers novel lncRNAs and eRNAs regulating VEGFA and VEGFC that can be targeted to modulate the expression of these important molecules in endothelial cells.

Clinically relevant aberrant Filip1l DNA methylation detected in a murine model of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (cSCC) are among the most common and highly mutated human malignancies. Understanding the impact of DNA methylation in cSCC may provide avenues for new therapeutic strategies.

METHODS

We used reduced-representation bisulfite sequencing for DNA methylation analysis of murine cSCC. Differential methylation was assessed at the CpG level using limma. Next, we compared with human cSCC Infinium HumanMethylation BeadArray data. Genes were considered to be of major relevance when they featured at least one significantly differentially methylated CpGs (RRBS) / probes (Infinium) with at least a 30% difference between tumour vs. control in both a murine gene and its human orthologue. The human EPIC Infinium data were used to distinguish two cSCC subtypes, stem-cell-like and keratinocyte-like tumours.

FINDINGS

We found increased average methylation in mouse cSCC (by 12.8%, p = 0.0011) as well as in stem-cell like (by 3.1%, p=0.002), but not keratinocyte-like (0.2%, p = 0.98), human cSCC. Comparison of differentially methylated genes revealed striking similarities between human and mouse cSCC. Locus specific methylation changes in mouse cSCC often occurred in regions of potential regulatory function, including enhancers and promoters. A key differentially methylated region was located in a potential enhancer of the tumour suppressor gene Filip1l and its expression was reduced in mouse tumours. Moreover, the FILIP1L locus showed hypermethylation in human cSCC and lower expression in human cSCC cell lines.

INTERPRETATION

Deregulation of DNA methylation is an important feature of murine and human cSCC that likely contributes to silencing of tumour suppressor genes, as shown for Filip1l.

FUNDING

British Skin Foundation, Cancer Research UK.

Fish-Ing for Enhancers in the Heart

Precise control of gene expression is crucial to ensure proper development and biological functioning of an organism. Enhancers are non-coding DNA elements which play an essential role in regulating gene expression. They contain specific sequence motifs serving as binding sites for transcription factors which interact with the basal transcription machinery at their target genes. Heart development is regulated by intricate gene regulatory network ensuring precise spatiotemporal gene expression program. Mutations affecting enhancers have been shown to result in devastating forms of congenital heart defect. Therefore, identifying enhancers implicated in heart biology and understanding their mechanism is key to improve diagnosis and therapeutic options. Despite their crucial role, enhancers are poorly studied, mainly due to a lack of reliable way to identify them and determine their function. Nevertheless, recent technological advances have allowed rapid progress in enhancer discovery. Model organisms such as the zebrafish have contributed significant insights into the genetics of heart development through enabling functional analyses of genes and their regulatory elements in vivo. Here, we summarize the current state of knowledge on heart enhancers gained through studies in model organisms, discuss various approaches to discover and study their function, and finally suggest methods that could further advance research in this field.

Modulation of Brain Pathology by Enhancer RNAs in Cerebral Ischemia

Recent studies have reported widespread stimulus-dependent transcription of mammalian enhancers into noncoding enhancer RNAs (eRNAs), some of which have central roles in the enhancer-mediated induction of target genes and modulation of phenotypic outcomes during development and disease. In cerebral ischemia, the expression and functions of eRNAs are virtually unknown. Here, we applied genome-wide H3K27ac ChIP-seq and genome-wide RNA-seq to identify enhancer elements and stroke-induced eRNAs, respectively, in the mouse cerebral cortex during transient focal ischemia. Following a 1-h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and 6 h of reperfusion, we identified 77 eRNAs that were significantly upregulated in stroke as compared to sham, of which 55 were exclusively expressed in stroke. The knockdown of two stroke-induced eRNAs in the mouse brain resulted in significantly larger infarct volumes as compared to controls, suggesting that these eRNAs are involved in the post-stroke neuroprotective response. A preliminary comparison of eRNA expression in the male versus female cortices revealed sex-dependent patterns that may underlie the physiological differences in response to stroke between the two sexes. Together, this study is the first to illuminate the eRNA landscape in the post-stroke cortex and demonstrate the significance of an eRNA in modulating post-stroke cortical brain damage.

Enhancer RNAs: transcriptional regulators and workmates of NamiRNAs in myogenesis

miRNAs are well known to be gene repressors. A newly identified class of miRNAs termed nuclear activating miRNAs (NamiRNAs), transcribed from miRNA loci that exhibit enhancer features, promote gene expression via binding to the promoter and enhancer marker regions of the target genes. Meanwhile, activated enhancers produce endogenous non-coding RNAs (named enhancer RNAs, eRNAs) to activate gene expression. During chromatin looping, transcribed eRNAs interact with NamiRNAs through enhancer-promoter interaction to perform similar functions. Here, we review the functional differences and similarities between eRNAs and NamiRNAs in myogenesis and disease. We also propose models demonstrating their mutual mechanism and function. We conclude that eRNAs are active molecules, transcriptional regulators, and partners of NamiRNAs, rather than mere RNAs produced during enhancer activation.

A comprehensive enhancer screen identifies TRAM2 as a key and novel mediator of YAP oncogenesis

BACKGROUND

Frequent activation of the co-transcriptional factor YAP is observed in a large number of solid tumors. Activated YAP associates with enhancer loci via TEAD4-DNA-binding protein and stimulates cancer aggressiveness. Although thousands of YAP/TEAD4 binding-sites are annotated, their functional importance is unknown. Here, we aim at further identification of enhancer elements that are required for YAP functions.

RESULTS

We first apply genome-wide ChIP profiling of YAP to systematically identify enhancers that are bound by YAP/TEAD4. Next, we implement a genetic approach to uncover functions of YAP/TEAD4-associated enhancers, demonstrate its robustness, and use it to reveal a network of enhancers required for YAP-mediated proliferation. We focus on EnhancerTRAM2, as its target gene TRAM2 shows the strongest expression-correlation with YAP activity in nearly all tumor types. Interestingly, TRAM2 phenocopies the YAP-induced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion phenotypes and correlates with poor patient survival. Mechanistically, we identify FSTL-1 as a major direct client of TRAM2 that is involved in these phenotypes. Thus, TRAM2 is a key novel mediator of YAP-induced oncogenic proliferation and cellular invasiveness.

CONCLUSIONS

YAP is a transcription co-factor that binds to thousands of enhancer loci and stimulates tumor aggressiveness. Using unbiased functional approaches, we dissect YAP enhancer network and characterize TRAM2 as a novel mediator of cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion. Our findings elucidate how YAP induces cancer aggressiveness and may assist diagnosis of cancer metastasis.

An emerging role of chromatin-interacting RNA-binding proteins in transcription regulation

Transcription factors (TFs) are well-established key factors orchestrating gene transcription, and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are mainly thought to participate in post-transcriptional control of gene. In fact, these two steps are functionally coupled, offering a possibility for reciprocal communications between transcription and regulatory RNAs and RBPs. Recently, a series of exploratory studies, utilizing functional genomic strategies, have revealed that RBPs are prevalently involved in transcription control genome-wide through their interactions with chromatin. Here, we present a refined census of RBPs to grope for such an emerging role and discuss the global view of RBP-chromatin interactions and their functional diversities in transcription regulation.

Epigenetic regulation in the pathogenesis of non-melanoma skin cancer

Understanding of cancer with the help of ever-expanding cutting edge technological tools and bioinformatics is revolutionizing modern cancer research by broadening the space of discovery window of various genomic and epigenomic processes. Genomics data integrated with multi-omics layering have advanced cancer research. Uncovering such layers of genetic mutations/modifications, epigenetic regulation and their role in the complex pathophysiology of cancer progression could lead to novel therapeutic interventions. Although a plethora of literature is available in public domain defining the role of various tumor driver gene mutations, understanding of epigenetic regulation of cancer is still emerging. This review focuses on epigenetic regulation association with the pathogenesis of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). NMSC has higher prevalence in Caucasian populations compared to other races. Due to lack of proper reporting to cancer registries, the incidence rates for NMSC worldwide cannot be accurately estimated. However, this is the most common neoplasm in humans, and millions of new cases per year are reported in the United States alone. In organ transplant recipients, the incidence of NMSC particularly of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is very high and these SCCs frequently become metastatic and lethal. Understanding of solar ultraviolet (UV) light-induced damage and impaired DNA repair process leading to DNA mutations and nuclear instability provide an insight into the pathogenesis of metastatic neoplasm. This review discusses the recent advances in the field of epigenetics of NMSCs. Particularly, the role of DNA methylation, histone hyperacetylation and non-coding RNA such as long-chain noncoding (lnc) RNAs, circular RNAs and miRNA in the disease progression are summarized.

The potential roles of deubiquitinating enzymes in brain diseases

Most proteins undergo posttranslational modification such as acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, biotinylation, and ubiquitination to regulate various cellular processes. Ubiquitin-targeted proteins from the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) are degraded by 26S proteasome, along with this, deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) have specific activity against the UPS through detaching of ubiquitin on ubiquitin-targeted proteins. Balancing between protein expression and degradation through interplay between the UPS and DUBs is important to maintain cell homeostasis, and abnormal expression and elongation of proteins lead to diverse diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune response. Therefore, development of DUB inhibitors as therapeutic targets has been challenging. In addition, understanding of the roles of DUBs in neurodegeneration, specifically brain diseases, has emerged gradually. This review highlights recent studies on the molecular mechanisms for DUBs, and discusses potential therapeutic targets for DUBs in cases of brain diseases.

lncRNA TTN‑AS1 upregulates RUNX1 to enhance glioma progression via sponging miR‑27b‑3p

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) contribute to the tumorigeneses of numerous types of cancer, including glioma. The present study was designed to unveil a novel lncRNA functioning in glioma and explore the underlying mechanisms. lncRNA titin-antisense RNA1 (TTN-AS1), miR-27b-3p and Runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) expression in glioma tissues and cell lines was estimated by RT-qPCR. Si-TTN-AS1 was transfected into glioma cell lines (U251 and LN229), and CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, wound healing and Transwell assays were applied to estimate the function of TTN-AS1 in glioma cells. miR-27b-3p inhibitor was used to explore the mechanisms. The results revealed that TTN-AS1 was highly expressed in glioma specimens and cell lines. Downregulation of TTN-AS1 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of the glioma cells, as well as increased the rate of apoptosis. In vivo, the tumor growth was also inhibited by TTN-AS1 depletion in nude mice. Furthermore, we revealed that TTN-AS1 exerted oncogenic effects via sponging miR-27b-3p and thereby positively regulating RUNX1 expression. In conclusion, the present study supported that TTN-AS1 acts as an oncogene in glioma by targeting miR-27b-3p to release RUNX1. This finding may contribute to gene therapy of glioma.

Emerging Roles of Estrogen-Regulated Enhancer and Long Non-Coding RNAs

Genome-wide RNA sequencing has shown that only a small fraction of the human genome is transcribed into protein-coding mRNAs. While once thought to be “junk” DNA, recent findings indicate that the rest of the genome encodes many types of non-coding RNA molecules with a myriad of functions still being determined. Among the non-coding RNAs, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) and enhancer RNAs (eRNA) are found to be most copious. While their exact biological functions and mechanisms of action are currently unknown, technologies such as next-generation RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and global nuclear run-on sequencing (GRO-seq) have begun deciphering their expression patterns and biological significance. In addition to their identification, it has been shown that the expression of long non-coding RNAs and enhancer RNAs can vary due to spatial, temporal, developmental, or hormonal variations. In this review, we explore newly reported information on estrogen-regulated eRNAs and lncRNAs and their associated biological functions to help outline their markedly prominent roles in estrogen-dependent signaling.

The how and why of lncRNA function: An innate immune perspective

Next-generation sequencing has provided a more complete picture of the composition of the human transcriptome indicating that much of the "blueprint" is a vastness of poorly understood non-protein-coding transcripts. This includes a newly identified class of genes called long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). The lack of sequence conservation for lncRNAs across species meant that their biological importance was initially met with some skepticism. LncRNAs mediate their functions through interactions with proteins, RNA, DNA, or a combination of these. Their functions can often be dictated by their localization, sequence, and/or secondary structure. Here we provide a review of the approaches typically adopted to study the complexity of these genes with an emphasis on recent discoveries within the innate immune field. Finally, we discuss the challenges, as well as the emergence of new technologies that will continue to move this field forward and provide greater insight into the biological importance of this class of genes. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: ncRNA in control of gene expression edited by Kotb Abdelmohsen.

Functions and properties of nuclear lncRNAs-from systematically mapping the interactomes of lncRNAs

Protein and DNA have been considered as the major components of chromatin. But beyond that, an increasing number of studies show that RNA occupies a large amount of chromatin and acts as a regulator of nuclear architecture. A significant fraction of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) prefers to stay in the nucleus and cooperate with protein complexes to modulate epigenetic regulation, phase separation, compartment formation, and nuclear organization. An RNA strand also can invade into double-stranded DNA to form RNA:DNA hybrids (R-loops) in living cells, contributing to the regulation of gene expression and genomic instability. In this review, we discuss how nuclear lncRNAs orchestrate cellular processes through their interactions with proteins and DNA and summarize the recent genome-wide techniques to study the functions of lncRNAs by revealing their interactomes in vivo.

Epigenetic Regulation of WNT3A Enhancer during Regeneration of Injured Cortical Neurons

Traumatic brain injury is known to reprogram the epigenome. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing of histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) and tri-methylation of histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me3) marks was performed to address the transcriptional regulation of candidate regeneration-associated genes. In this study, we identify a novel enhancer region for induced WNT3A transcription during regeneration of injured cortical neurons. We further demonstrated an increased mono-methylation of histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me1) modification at this enhancer concomitant with a topological interaction between sub-regions of this enhancer and with promoter of WNT3A gene. Together, this study reports a novel mechanism for WNT3A gene transcription and reveals a potential therapeutic intervention for neuronal regeneration.

An inferred fitness consequence map of the rice genome

The extent to which sequence variation impacts plant fitness is poorly understood. High-resolution maps detailing the constraint acting on the genome, especially in regulatory sites, would be beneficial as functional annotation of noncoding sequences remains sparse. Here, we present a fitness consequence (fitCons) map for rice (Oryza sativa). We inferred fitCons scores (ρ) for 246 inferred genome classes derived from nine functional genomic and epigenomic datasets, including chromatin accessibility, messenger RNA/small RNA transcription, DNA methylation, histone modifications and engaged RNA polymerase activity. These were integrated with genome-wide polymorphism and divergence data from 1,477 rice accessions and 11 reference genome sequences in the Oryzeae. We found ρ to be multimodal, with ~9% of the rice genome falling into classes where more than half of the bases would probably have a fitness consequence if mutated. Around 2% of the rice genome showed evidence of weak negative selection, frequently at candidate regulatory sites, including a novel set of 1,000 potentially active enhancer elements. This fitCons map provides perspective on the evolutionary forces associated with genome diversity, aids in genome annotation and can guide crop breeding programs.

Select Macrophage Noncoding RNAs of Interest in Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Aspects of disease severity that are associated with heightened inflammation, such as during atherosclerosis or after myocardial infarction, are correlated with macrophage activation and macrophage polarization of the transcriptome and secretome. In this setting, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) may be as abundant as protein-coding genes and are increasingly recognized as significant modulators of macrophage gene expression and cytokine secretion, although the functions of most ncRNAs—and in particular, long non-coding RNAs—remain unknown. Herein, we discuss a subset of specific ncRNAs of interest in macrophages in atherosclerosis and during myocardial inflammation.

Investigating the role of super-enhancer RNAs underlying embryonic stem cell differentiation

BACKGROUND

Super-enhancer RNAs (seRNAs) are a kind of noncoding RNA transcribed from super-enhancer regions. The regulation mechanism and functional role of seRNAs are still unclear. Although super-enhancers play a critical role in the core transcriptional regulatory circuity of embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation, whether seRNAs have similar properties should be further investigated.

RESULTS

We analyzed cap analysis gene expression sequencing (CAGE-seq) datasets collected during the differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to cardiomyocytes to identify the seRNAs. A non-negative matrix factorization algorithm was applied to decompose the seRNA profiles and reveal two hidden stages during the ESC differentiation. We further identified 95 and 78 seRNAs associated with early- and late-stage ESC differentiation, respectively. We found that the binding sites of master regulators of ESC differentiation, including NANOG, FOXA2, and MYC, were significantly observed in the loci of the stage-specific seRNAs. Based on the investigation of genes coexpressed with seRNA, these stage-specific seRNAs might be involved in cardiac-related functions such as myofibril assembly and heart development and act in trans to regulate the co-expressed genes.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we used a computational approach to demonstrate the possible role of seRNAs during ESC differentiation.

Role of lncRNAs in stem cell maintenance and differentiation

Embryonic Stem cells are widely studied to elucidate the disease and developmental processes because of their capability to differentiate into cells of any lineage, Pervasive transcription is a distinct feature of all multicellular organisms and genomic elements such as enhancers and bidirectional or unidirectional promoters regulate these processes. Thousands of loci in each species produce a class of transcripts called noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), that are well known for their influential regulatory roles in multiple biological processes including stem cell pluripotency and differentiation. The number of lncRNA species increases in more complex organisms highlighting the importance of RNA-based control in the evolution of multicellular organisms. Over the past decade, numerous studies have shed light on lncRNA biogenesis and functional significance in the cell and the organism. In this review, we focus primarily on lncRNAs affecting the stem cell state and developmental pathways.

Understanding Long Noncoding RNA and Chromatin Interactions: What We Know So Far

With the evolution of technologies that deal with global detection of RNAs to probing of lncRNA-chromatin interactions and lncRNA-chromatin structure regulation, we have been updated with a comprehensive repertoire of chromatin interacting lncRNAs, their genome-wide chromatin binding regions and mode of action. Evidence from these new technologies emphasize that chromatin targeting of lncRNAs is a prominent mechanism and that these chromatin targeted lncRNAs exert their functionality by fine tuning chromatin architecture resulting in an altered transcriptional readout. Currently, there are no unifying principles that define chromatin association of lncRNAs, however, evidence from a few chromatin-associated lncRNAs show presence of a short common sequence for chromatin targeting. In this article, we review how technological advancements contributed in characterizing chromatin associated lncRNAs, and discuss the potential mechanisms by which chromatin associated lncRNAs execute their functions.

LncRNA TTN-AS1 regulates osteosarcoma cell apoptosis and drug resistance via the miR-134-5p/MBTD1 axis

AIM

To explore the mechanism by which long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) TTN-AS1 regulates osteosarcoma cell apoptosis and drug resistance via the microRNA miR-134-5p/malignant brain tumour domain containing 1 (MBTD1) axis.

RESULTS

The lncRNA TTN-AS1 was highly expressed in osteosarcoma and was associated with poor prognosis. The lncRNA TTN-AS1 promoted cell viability and inhibited apoptosis. MiR-134-5p targeted MBTD1, which was regulated by lncRNA TTN-AS1. MBTD1 was highly expressed in osteosarcoma and was associated with poor prognosis. MBTD1 promoted cell viability and inhibited apoptosis, and knockdown of MBTD1 reversed the cancer-promoting effects of lncRNA TTN-AS1. Downregulation of lncRNA TTN-AS1 reduced drug resistance.

CONCLUSION

In osteosarcoma, lncRNA TTN-AS1 promoted the expression of MBTD1 by targeting miR-134-5p and regulated cell growth, apoptosis and drug resistance.

METHODS

The expression characteristics of genes in osteosarcoma patients were analysed using bioinformatics. Plasmid transfection technology was applied to silence or overexpress lncRNA TTN-AS1, miR-134-5p and MBTD1. Western blotting and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were used to detect protein and RNA, respectively. A cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry were used to detect cell viability and apoptosis. The effects of lncRNA TTN-AS1 and MBTD1 on osteosarcoma in vivo were studied by using a tumour burden assay.