Long non-coding RNAs as regulators of the endocrine system

Abstract

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a large and diverse group of RNAs that are often lineage-specific and that regulate multiple biological functions. Many are nuclear and are essential parts of ribonucleoprotein complexes that modify chromatin segments and establish active or repressive chromatin states; others are cytosolic and regulate the stability of mRNA or act as microRNA sponges. This Review summarizes the current knowledge of lncRNAs as regulators of the endocrine system, with a focus on the identification and mode of action of several endocrine-important lncRNAs. We highlight lncRNAs that have a role in the development and function of pancreatic β cells, white and brown adipose tissue, and other endocrine organs, and discuss the involvement of these molecules in endocrine dysfunction (for example, diabetes mellitus). We also address the associations of lncRNAs with nuclear receptors involved in major hormonal signalling pathways, such as estrogen and androgen receptors, and the relevance of these associations in certain endocrine cancers.

A novel long non‑coding RNATCONS_00001798 is downregulated and predicts survival in patients with non‑small cell lung cancer

“…Although lncRNAs were previously considered to represent transcriptional noise, with no observable function in cells, it has since been demonstrated that lncRNAs serve a variety of important roles in biological processes, including epigenetic control, the regulation of gene expression, RNA maturation (including splicing and editing) and the maintenance of chromatin structure (3,4,6). Previous studies have revealed that lncRNAs are abnormally expressed in certain tumors, suggesting that they may serve as potential biomarkers predicting the prognosis of patients with cancer (15)(16)(17)(18)(22)(23)(24)(25).…”

“…Although lncRNAs were once classified as transcriptional noise (5), subsequent studies have demonstrated that lncRNAs participate in various biological processes, including epigenetic control, the regulation of gene expression, RNA maturation (including splicing and editing) and the maintenance of chromatin structure (3,4,6). The abnormal expression of lncRNA has been identified in various types of cancer, including prostate, breast, colorectal, bladder, lung and gastric cancer, as well as hepatocellular carcinoma and melanoma (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14).…”

Emerging roles of GLIS3 in neonatal diabetes, type 1 and type 2 diabetes

“…LncRNAs are usually lineage specific and regulate multiple biological functions (Knoll et al 2015). In an integrated sequencebased transcriptome and chromatin maps of human islets and β cells, Ferrer and coworkers identified a β cell-specific lncRNA HI-LNC25.…”

Insulin secretion in health and disease: nutrients dictate the pace

“…LncRNA have emerged as a novel class of functional RNA and are strongly suspected to regulate genome activities through a broad spectrum of mechanisms (98,121,122) . Pioneering studies by Ferrer and colleagues led to the identification of numerous conserved β-cell-specific lncRNA that are dysregulated in islets of hyperglycaemic T2D donors and often mapping to genomic regions enriched in islet protein-coding genes (123) .…”