Review
Cell Biology
Hui Kong, Ming-Li Sun, Xin-An Zhang, Xue-Qiang Wang
Summary: By investigating the roles and interactions of miRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA in osteoarthritis, their significance in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of OA can be identified as potential future therapeutic targets.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Goncalo J. M. Afonso, Carla Cavaleiro, Jorge Valero, Sandra I. Mota, Elisabete Ferreiro
Summary: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe and incurable neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive motor neuron death. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been found to play a crucial role in the development of ALS and can be a potential therapeutic strategy. EVs can transport abnormal bioactive cargo and serve as biomarkers for ALS, as well as be used for therapeutic applications such as stem cell-derived exosomes.
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jia Liu, Shan Song, Rong Zhao, He-Yi Zhang, Sheng-Xiao Zhang
Summary: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by synovial tissue inflammation, irreversible joint damage, and severe physical impairment. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are important regulators that are incapable of encoding proteins but play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of RA by mediating fundamental cellular processes. Several confirmed ncRNAs have been identified as prospective biomarkers for diagnosing and treating RA. This paper aims to elucidate the role of ncRNAs in the pathogenesis of RA and propose new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elisa Duranti, Chiara Villa
Summary: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss of motor neurons (MNs) in the brain and spinal cord. The aggregation and accumulation of ubiquitinated protein inclusions in degenerating MNs are key pathological features of ALS. Recent research has provided insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying protein aggregate accumulation in ALS, which may aid in the development of therapeutic strategies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francesca Pregnolato, Lidia Cova, Alberto Doretti, Donatella Bardelli, Vincenzo Silani, Patrizia Bossolasco
Summary: This pilot study did not find a strong pathological role of exosome-derived miRNA in ALS, but identified six biological processes shared across miRNAs in samples with the highest miRNA content. Further investigation is needed to elucidate the role of exosome-derived miRNA in ALS.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Li Chen, Man He, Meng Zhang, Qiang Sun, Sha Zeng, Hui Zhao, Han Yang, Maolun Liu, Shan Ren, Xianli Meng, Haibo Xu
Summary: Colorectal cancer is a malignant affliction commonly caused by lack of effective medical intervention and poor understanding of its pathogenesis, with non-coding RNAs and autophagy playing intricate roles in its initiation, progression, metastasis, recurrence, and therapeutic resistance. The interactions between ncRNAs and autophagy can serve as valuable clinical biomarkers and therapeutic targets for CRC.
PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS
(2021)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Kele Qin, Xiaohui Xie, Weijie Tang, Danni Yang, Jun Peng, Jianjun Guo, Jinfu Yang, Chengming Fan
Summary: Cardiovascular diseases, particularly ischemic heart disease, remain the leading cause of death worldwide. Scientists have shown great interest in researching myocardial tissue rejuvenation following ischemia, with previous studies highlighting the crucial role of non-coding RNAs in this process. This review summarizes recent research on cardiomyocyte regenerative medicine, focusing on the biological functions and mechanisms of microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs in posttranscriptional regulation of cardiomyocytes.
FRONTIERS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Jiantao Zhao, Xuemei Wang, Zijun Huo, Yanchun Chen, Jinmeng Liu, Zhenhan Zhao, Fandi Meng, Qi Su, Weiwei Bao, Lingyun Zhang, Shuang Wen, Xin Wang, Huancai Liu, Shuanhu Zhou
Summary: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressing and highly fatal neurodegenerative disease. Mitochondrial dysfunction is believed to be a key contributing factor to the pathogenesis of ALS. Stable mitochondrial function is crucial for normal neuron function, and dysfunction can lead to cellular pathological changes and play an important role in the progression of ALS.
Review
Cell Biology
Farheen Badrealam Khan, Shahab Uddin, Abozer Y. Elderdery, Khang Wen Goh, Long Chiau Ming, Chrismawan Ardianto, Abdul Rasheed Palakot, Irfa Anwar, Mohsina Khan, Mohammad Owais, Chih-Yang Huang, Jayasimha Rayalu Daddam, Meraj Alam Khan, Shoaib Shoaib, Md Khursheed, Sara Reshadat, Hamid Reza Khayat Kashani, Sameer Mirza, Abbas A. Khaleel, Mohammed Akli Ayoub
Summary: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of death worldwide. Exosomes and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been shown to play important roles in cardiac physiology and pathology, with potential therapeutic and biomarker applications. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent understanding of exosomes and ncRNAs in CVDs and discusses strategies for their therapeutic intervention and biomarker potential.
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Benchi Ma, Shihao Wang, Wenzheng Wu, Pufan Shan, Yufan Chen, Jiaqi Meng, Liping Xing, Jingyi Yun, Longhui Hao, Xiaoyu Wang, Shuyan Li, Yinghui Guo
Summary: In recent years, significant progress has been made in bioinformatics with the discovery of functional non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). These ncRNAs play a crucial role in regulating intracellular gene expression, assisting in diagnosis, guiding drug use, and determining prognosis in various diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) are the three major types of ncRNAs that interact with each other. Studies have shown that lncRNAs and circRNAs can sponge miRNAs, influencing normal physiological processes and regulating mRNA expression, and ultimately affecting cellular physiology. This paper provides a summary of the mechanisms and research progress of these three ncRNAs and their potential implications in disease diagnosis, treatment, and drug development.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Tingting Xu, Mengyan Xie, Xinming Jing, Jiahua Cui, Xi Wu, Yongqian Shu
Summary: Increasing evidence suggests that chronic inflammatory processes play a role in tumor occurrence and development. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been shown to act as oncogenic drivers and tumor suppressors in inflammation-induced cancers. Understanding the function of inflammation-associated ncRNAs may lead to new therapeutic strategies for malignant diseases.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Axel Freischmidt, Anand Goswami, Katharina Limm, Vitaly L. Zimyanin, Maria Demestre, Hannes Glass, Karlheinz Holzmann, Anika M. Helferich, Sarah J. Brockmann, Priyanka Tripathi, Alfred Yamoah, Ina Poser, Peter J. Oefner, Tobias M. Boeckers, Eleonora Aronica, Albert C. Ludolph, Peter M. Andersen, Andreas Hermann, Joachim Weis, Joerg Reinders, Karin M. Danzer, Jochen H. Weishaupt
Summary: Knowledge about converging disease mechanisms in ALS is limited, but the study revealed that downregulation of specific serum microRNAs in ALS patients may be linked to the interaction of fragile X-related proteins with these microRNAs. The aberrant expression and co-aggregation of these proteins with FUS in ALS patients suggest their involvement in the disease pathology, highlighting their potential role as biomarkers or therapeutic targets for ALS. This study emphasizes the systemic aspect of ALS and the significance of using blood microRNAs for translational research to uncover disease mechanisms in ALS.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Liang He, Furong Zhang, Yuling Zhu, Meilin Lu
Summary: Recovery from postoperative neurocognitive disorders, especially in elderly patients, remains challenging due to largely unknown mechanisms. Noncoding RNAs such as microRNAs, long noncoding RNAs, and circular RNAs show promise as biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and understanding the mechanisms of these disorders, though further research is needed to fully understand their role.
ACS CHEMICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Edward O. Olufunmilayo, R. M. Damian Holsinger
Summary: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory and cognitive deficits, amyloid plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles. Various factors contribute to its onset and progression, and dysfunctions in both coding and non-coding genes have been implicated. Recent studies highlight the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) such as circRNA, miRNA, siRNA, piRNA, and lncRNA in AD, which could serve as potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets. Targeting these ncRNAs in cellular and animal models shows promising results for future AD therapies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Yujiao Yu, Dejiang Pang, Chunyu Li, Xiaojing Gu, Yongping Chen, Ruwei Ou, Qianqian Wei, Huifang Shang
Summary: ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects motor neurons. Most ALS cases are sporadic. The expression discrepancy of lncRNAs plays a key role in neurodegenerative diseases. We screened and validated several lncRNAs with altered expression in SALS and PD patients. GO term enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis revealed that these differentially expressed lncRNAs are associated with various signaling pathways and transcription factors.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrea Termine, Carlo Fabrizio, Claudia Strafella, Valerio Caputo, Laura Petrosini, Carlo Caltagirone, Raffaella Cascella, Emiliano Giardina
Summary: This study used RNA-Seq data and various analysis methods to successfully identify subtypes of Parkinson's disease. Differential expression genes and disease mechanisms were discovered, providing important insights for precision medicine applications.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Carlo Fabrizio, Andrea Termine, Valerio Caputo, Domenica Megalizzi, Stefania Zampatti, Benedetto Falsini, Andrea Cusumano, Chiara Maria Eandi, Federico Ricci, Emiliano Giardina, Claudia Strafella, Raffaella Cascella
Summary: In this article, an open-source computational tool named WARE is introduced for assessing the individual risk profile of wet AMD. The tool utilizes genetic and non-genetic factors to evaluate the risk and provides a user-friendly interface for clinicians to report risk assessment results. It can be used to compute disease risk adjusted to different populations and to promote preventive actions and personalized medicine.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Shila Barati, Carlo Fabrizio, Claudia Strafella, Raffaella Cascella, Valerio Caputo, Domenica Megalizzi, Cristina Peconi, Julia Mela, Luca Colantoni, Carlo Caltagirone, Andrea Termine, Emiliano Giardina
Summary: This review discusses the main features of susceptibility and progression in neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs), focusing on Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Metabolism, dietary habits, physical exercise, and microbiota are essential for brain function and preservation. Genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors can disrupt this balance, leading to neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Diet and exercise can directly impact epigenetic modifications and alter the expression of specific genes involved in NDDs. Nutrigenomics provides insights into precision medicine strategies for the treatment and management of these diseases.
Review
Cell Biology
Valerio Caputo, Domenica Megalizzi, Carlo Fabrizio, Andrea Termine, Luca Colantoni, Carlo Caltagirone, Emiliano Giardina, Raffaella Cascella, Claudia Strafella
Summary: Despite knowledge of the main mechanisms of FSHD, the complexity and variation of the disease make diagnosis, characterization, and genotype-phenotype correlation difficult. Further research is needed to understand the genetic and epigenetic factors involved in FSHD and develop novel treatment strategies.
Review
Cell Biology
Paola Ruffo, Francesca De Amicis, Emiliano Giardina, Francesca Luisa Conforti
Summary: The development of high-throughput sequencing technologies has greatly enhanced our understanding of gene expression regulation. Editing the epigenome and epitranscriptome can influence the fate and function of mRNA, with non-coding RNAs playing a crucial role in this regulation. Long non-coding RNAs have been found to act as epigenetic regulators in neurodegenerative disorders, and their dysregulation may contribute to neuronal degeneration through RNA modifications. Exploring the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of long non-coding RNAs could lead to novel treatments for these incurable diseases.
NEURAL REGENERATION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Riccardo Giannico, Luca Forlani, Valentina Andrioletti, Ettore Cotroneo, Andrea Termine, Carlo Fabrizio, Raffaella Cascella, Luca Salvaderi, Pasquale Linarello, Debora Varrone, Laura Gigante, Emiliano Giardina
Summary: In 1997, Cell-Free Fetal DNA (cffDNA) was found in maternal plasma. cffDNA has been studied as a source of non-invasive prenatal testing for fetal pathologies and paternity testing. This study presents a non-invasive prenatal paternity test (NIPAT) using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to analyze 861 Single Nucleotide Variants (SNV) from cffDNA. The test has shown high accuracy in real cases according to the log(CPI) values generated.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Andrea Cusumano, Benedetto Falsini, Fabian D'Apolito, Michele D'Ambrosio, Jacopo Sebastiani, Raffaella Cascella, Shila Barati, Emiliano Giardina
Summary: In this study, a longitudinal structure-function evaluation was performed on a patient with CDHR1-related retinal dystrophy over three years. The results showed that the patient experienced progressive visual loss accompanied by increased inner retinal thickness, while the outer retina remained unchanged. These findings suggest that inner retinal changes may be relevant for therapeutic interventions aiming to mitigate photoreceptor loss through gene therapy or stem cells.
Review
Biology
Adele Chimento, Maria D'Amico, Arianna De Luca, Francesca Luisa Conforti, Vincenzo Pezzi, Francesca De Amicis
Summary: Plant-derived bioactive compounds are being widely studied for their significant anti-cancer properties, including cancer prevention, improved chemotherapy effectiveness, and mitigation of chemotherapy side effects. This paper provides an overview of the literature on the anti-cancer effects of three extensively studied plant-derived compounds, namely resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, and curcumin, with a focus on their molecular mechanisms inducing apoptosis in major types of cancers globally.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francesca Giordano, Maria D'Amico, Francesca Ida Montalto, Rocco Malivindi, Adele Chimento, Francesca Luisa Conforti, Vincenzo Pezzi, Maria Luisa Panno, Sebastiano Ando, Francesca De Amicis
Summary: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive cancer type with poor outcomes, and enrichment of GBM stem cells (GSCs) is believed to be the cause of its recurrence and chemoresistance. In this study, low-dose treatment of γ-secretase inhibitor RO4929097 (GSI) and resveratrol (RSV) reversed the mesenchymal phenotype of GBM cells to an epithelial-like phenotype, affecting invasion and stemness. The mechanism involves cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK4), and paxillin (Pxn) phosphorylation, leading to reduced Pxn interaction with vinculin (Vcl) and altered cell migration. The study suggests that targeting Cdk4 with Notch inhibitors and RSV could be a potential therapeutic strategy for aggressive brain tumors.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Paola Ruffo, Stefania Catalano, Vincenzo La Bella, Francesca Luisa Conforti
Summary: TDP-43 intracellular aggregates are a pathogenic sign of most amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases. Growing evidence suggests a role for dysregulated microRNA (miRNA) in ALS disease. Our research group discovered a rare mutation in a TARDBP gene (G376D) in a large ALS Apulian family with affected members exhibiting a rapidly progressing disease. We highlight the potential of miR-132-5p, miR-132-3p, miR-124-3p, and miR-133a-3p expression levels in plasma as biomarkers of preclinical progression for G376D-TARDBP-associated ALS.
Review
Food Science & Technology
Jasper Okoro Godwin Elechi, Rosa Sirianni, Francesca Luisa Conforti, Erika Cione, Michele Pellegrino
Summary: Food is essential for our health and has been passed down through generations. The gut microbiota undergoes changes due to the food system, which can affect human health. The gut microbiome has gained attention for its effects on nutrition and disease. This review explains how changes in the food system impact the gut microbiota and contribute to obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Sustainable food system transformation strategies are discussed to improve microbiota composition and reverse non-communicable diseases.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Benedetta Perrone, Paola Ruffo, Giuseppina Augimeri, Diego Sisci, Maria Stefania Sinicropi, Giovanni Tripepi, Corrado Mammi, Daniela Bonofiglio, Francesca Luisa Conforti
Summary: This study aimed to explore the genetic factors related to the metabolic/inflammatory profile of adolescents, and identified significant associations between genetic polymorphisms and serum metabolic parameters. These findings provide evidence for the importance of genetic profiling in the prevention and management of chronic diseases.
JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Giovanna Morello, Valentina La Cognata, Maria Guarnaccia, Vincenzo La Bella, Francesca Luisa Conforti, Sebastiano Cavallaro
Summary: This study characterized transcriptome changes in skin fibroblasts of ALS patients and identified 277 differentially expressed transcripts that could serve as molecular biomarkers for ALS diagnosis.
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Valerio Caputo, Giovanni Tarantino, Silvano Junior Santini, Giovanna Fracassi, Clara Balsano
Summary: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic fatty liver disease (MASLD), a novel definition for NAFLD, is one of the most common liver diseases with increasing incidence worldwide. Its complex etiopathogenesis involves mitochondrial dysfunction, altered lipid metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Changes in diet and lifestyle, as well as the influence of natural compounds, can modulate these mechanisms and improve the understanding and treatment of MASLD.