PRINS, a primate-specific long non-coding RNA, plays a role in the keratinocyte stress response and psoriasis pathogenesis

Abstract

In the last few years with the recent emergence of high-throughput technologies, thousands of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified in the human genome. However, assigning functional annotation and determining cellular contexts for these RNAs are still in its infancy. As information gained about lncRNA structure, interacting partners, and roles in human diseases may be helpful in the characterization of novel lncRNAs, we review our knowledge on a selected group of lncRNAs that were identified serendipitously years ago by large-scale gene expression methods used to study human diseases. In particular, we focus on the Psoriasis-susceptibility-Related RNA Gene Induced by Stress (PRINS) lncRNA, first identified by our research group as a transcript highest expressed in psoriatic non-lesional epidermis. Results gathered for PRINS in the last 10 years indicate that it is conserved in primates and plays a role in keratinocyte stress response. Elevated levels of PRINS expression in psoriatic non-lesional keratinocytes alter the stress response of non-lesional epidermis and contribute to disease pathogenesis. Finally, we propose a categorization for the PRINS lncRNA based on a recently elaborated system for lncRNA classification.

PRINS Non-Coding RNA Regulates Nucleic Acid-Induced Innate Immune Responses of Human Keratinocytes

“…PRINS was one of the first lncRNAs described to be dysregulated in a disease, namely in psoriasis ( 13 ). PRINS is located in an intron of the KIAA1217 gene on the sense strand ( 27 ), and, thus, it can be considered as a long intronic non-coding RNA. The expression of PRINS increases in response to various cellular stressors ( 14 ) in HaCaT cells, as well as to hypoxia in HK-2 cells ( 15 ) suggesting that PRINS contributes to the stress response of the cells.…”

Primate-Specific Long Non-Coding RNAs and MicroRNAs

“…Psoriasis is a human-specific autoimmune skin disease affecting 2%−4% population, which has not yet been identified in other primates [45]. In psoriatic non-lesional epidermis, a 3.6-kb-long non-coding transcript was identified with two exons harboring three Alu elements collectively [44].…”

WAKMAR2, a Long Noncoding RNA Downregulated in Human Chronic Wounds, Modulates Keratinocyte Motility and Production of Inflammatory Chemokines

“…For example, TINCR and ANCR modulate epithelial differentiation (Kretz et al, 2012(Kretz et al, , 2013Lopez-Pajares et al, 2015). TSIX and PRINS have been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis and psoriasis, respectively (Sonkoly et al, 2005;Szell et al, 2016). However, the expression pattern and biologic functions of lncRNAs in skin wound healing remain largely unexplored (Herter and Xu Landen, 2017).…”