REVIEW
Long noncoding RNAs are a promising therapeutic target in various diseases
1 Laboratory of Functional Genomics,Research Centre of Medical Genetics, Moscow, Russia
2 Laboratory of Medical Genetic Technologies, Department of Basic Research of MDRI,Yevdokimov Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Moscow, Russia
3 Genomic Functional Analysis Laboratory,Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudny, Russia
Correspondence should be addressed: Alexandra Filatova
ul. Moskvorechie, d. 1, Moscow, Russia, 115478; ur.xednay@ccaam
Contribution of the authors to this work: Filatova AYu — planning, literature analysis, drafting of a manuscript; Sparber PA — literature analysis, drafting of a manuscript; Krivosheeva IA — literature analysis, drafting of a manuscript; Skoblov MYu — drafting of a manuscript. All authors participated in editing of the manuscript.
As of today, there have been about 2,500 gene therapy clinical trials initiated or completed worldwide. Some of the tested drugs have been already approved for clinical use. Most of these drugs target well-characterized protein-coding genes. At the same time, the past few years have witnessed an increasing interest in long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and their role in cellular processes. Of 16,000 identified human lncRNA genes, biological functions have been elucidated for only two hundred. Nevertheless, we already know about their association with the development of 200 different disorders. In some cases these genes are the key element in disease pathogenesis, which makes long noncoding RNAs a promising target for gene therapy. To date, researchers successfully employ molecular biology techniques for the development of lncRNA-based therapeutic strategies. The following review focuses on the main approaches to gene therapy based on the use of lncRNA.
Keywords: locally advanced prostate cancer, gene therapy, long noncoding RNA, small interfering RNA, antisense oligonucleotides, inherited disease