Noncoding RNAs in apoptosis: identification and function

Abstract

Apoptosis is a vital cellular process that is critical for the maintenance of homeostasis in health and disease. The derailment of apoptotic mechanisms has severe consequences such as abnormal development, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, there exist complex regulatory mechanisms in eukaryotes to preserve the balance between cell growth and cell death. Initially, protein-coding genes were prioritized in the search for such regulatory macromolecules involved in the regulation of apoptosis. However, recent genome annotations and transcriptomics studies have uncovered a plethora of regulatory noncoding RNAs that have the ability to modulate not only apoptosis but also many other biochemical processes in eukaryotes. In this review article, we will cover a brief summary of apoptosis and detection methods followed by an extensive discussion on microRNAs, circular RNAs, and long noncoding RNAs in apoptosis.

Unraveling the intriguing interplay: Exploring the role of lncRNAs in caspase‐independent cell death

“…The past few decades have witnessed the discovery of a large number of lncRNAs, RNA molecules longer than 200 nucleotides that do not code for proteins. Initially considered as "transcriptional noise," it is now well-established that lncRNAs play vital roles in various cellular processes including gene regulation, chromatin remodeling, and cell signaling (Tüncel et al, 2022). Researchers have made substantial progress in characterizing the functions of a specific set of lncRNAs by employing RNA sequencing, functional genomics, and genetic manipulations.…”

Epitranscriptomics m6A analyses reveal distinct m6A marks under tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)-induced apoptotic conditions in HeLa cells

“…Its interaction with TNF receptors (TNFRs) may lead to apoptosis by activating the extrinsic pathway (L. Wang, Du, and Wang 2008). Most molecular mechanisms underlying transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of survival and cell death have been well-documented and targeted for various therapeutic purposes (Sedger and McDermott 2014;Tüncel et al 2022). However, recent studies point to the importance of epitranscriptomics as a new layer of gene regulation in modulation of survival and cell death that might serve as novel therapeutic targets (Akçaöz and Akgül 2022).…”