Novel long-coding RNAs of relevance for ulcerative colitis pathogenesis

Abstract

<p>Introduction - LncRNAs have become a growing field of research. They are involved in diverse biological processes including expression regulation, and chromatin modification. Many lncRNAs have been characterized as involved in the occurrence and development of various human diseases, including cancer. A growing body of evidence implies a role for lncRNAs in UC by modulating the intestinal barrier, regulating the expression of inflammatory cytokines, and polarization of macrophages. <p>Problems - Accurate quantification of lncRNA transcripts is challenging due to the low expression of lncRNAs, and their exons overlap protein-coding exons on the same strand. <p>Aims - The study aimed to define the role of uncharacterized long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in treatment-naïve ulcerative colitis (UC). <p>Method - To overcome difficulties in lncRNA transcript quantification, multiple and “stringent” strategies were applied. New insights in the regulation of functional genes and pathways of relevance for UC through expression of lncRNAs are expected <p>Conclusion - This study identified a set of 15 yet uncharacterized lncRNAs which may be of importance for UC pathogenesis. These lncRNAs may serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers and might be of use for the development of UC treatment strategies in the future. The proposed method can also be helpful to quantify low expressed lncRNA transcripts in other datasets.