The Role of lncRNAs in Stroke: MEG3 as a Promising Candidate

Abstract

Globally, stroke is considered a major cause of incapacity and death. It results in high economic load to peoples in almost all countries. Numerous mechanisms have been anticipated to contribute to the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke, including epigenetic modification and dysregulation of some noncoding RNAs. In the recent years, there has been a great focus on studying long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) which have been recognized as possible biomarkers and therapeutic goals to treat ischemia. It was observed that maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3)-lncRNA perform many functions and is implicated in the pathophysiology and/ or recovery of many diseases. Beside the high expression levels of MEG3 in brain, the upregulation of MEG3 after ischemic stroke was also observed. The current review sets sights on spotlighting the functions of lncRNAs, especially MEG3 in the pathogenesis of stroke as well as figuring out its genetic variants that are associated with various diseases, including stroke risk.