Review of the association between non-coding RNAs and environmental exposure

Abstract

Disease development is a consequence of the combination of genetic and environmental factors. Epigenetics can regulate gene expression without altering DNA sequence. There are different types of epigenetic regulation, including DNA methylation, histone modification and non-coding RNAs. Research has shown epigenetic regulation plays an essential role in environmental exposure and disease development. The role of DNA methylation and histone modification is well characterized so far. While the importance of non-coding RNA in disease development has gained more attention recently, the elucidation of the exposure-non coding RNA-disease pathway is still under much investigation. This review aims to provide a general review of ncRNA functions, focusing on research progress highlighting the association between a variety of exposure and non-coding RNAs and the hope of demonstrating how non-coding RNA can serve as biomarkers for preventive and therapeutic goals upon environmental exposure.