Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine (DIM), University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy.
Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePRe-J), University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy.
Cells. 2023 Apr 8;12(8):1115. doi: 10.3390/cells12081115.
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a large, heterogeneous class of transcripts and key regulators of gene expression at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels in different cellular contexts and biological processes. Understanding the potential mechanisms of action of lncRNAs and their role in disease onset and development may open up new possibilities for therapeutic approaches in the future. LncRNAs also play an important role in renal pathogenesis. However, little is known about lncRNAs that are expressed in the healthy kidney and that are involved in renal cell homeostasis and development, and even less is known about lncRNAs involved in human adult renal stem/progenitor cells (ARPC) homeostasis. Here we give a thorough overview of the biogenesis, degradation, and functions of lncRNAs and highlight our current understanding of their functional roles in kidney diseases. We also discuss how lncRNAs regulate stem cell biology, focusing finally on their role in human adult renal stem/progenitor cells, in which the lncRNA HOTAIR prevents them from becoming senescent and supports these cells to secrete high quantities of α-Klotho, an anti-aging protein capable of influencing the surrounding tissues and therefore modulating the renal aging.
长链非编码 RNA（lncRNA）是一类庞大而多样的转录本，是不同细胞环境和生物学过程中基因表达的转录和转录后水平的关键调控因子。了解 lncRNA 的潜在作用机制及其在疾病发生和发展中的作用，可能为未来的治疗方法开辟新的可能性。lncRNA 也在肾脏发病机制中发挥重要作用。然而，人们对在健康肾脏中表达的、参与肾脏细胞稳态和发育的 lncRNA 知之甚少，甚至对参与人类成年肾祖细胞（ARPC）稳态的 lncRNA 知之甚少。在这里，我们全面概述了 lncRNA 的生物发生、降解和功能，并强调了我们目前对它们在肾脏疾病中的功能作用的理解。我们还讨论了 lncRNA 如何调节干细胞生物学，最后重点介绍了它们在人类成年肾祖细胞中的作用，其中 lncRNA HOTAIR 阻止它们衰老，并支持这些细胞大量分泌抗衰老蛋白α-Klotho，该蛋白能够影响周围组织，从而调节肾脏衰老。
