Page 7 - GPD-3-2

Gene & Protein in Disease

REVIEW ARTICLE
Long non-coding RNAs: A trained immunity

perspective

Bikesh Kumar Nirala 1 , Gauri Shishodia 2 , Praveen Kumar 3 ,
and Ravi Shankar Singh *
4
1 Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
of America
2 Department of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern Medical Centre, Dallas, Texas, United States of
America
3 Department of Neurology, UT Southwestern Medical Centre, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
4 Department of Pathology, Division of Microbiology and Immunology University of Utah, Emma
Eccles Jones Medical Research Building, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America

Abstract

The conventional understanding of immunological memory within adaptive
immunity has faced recent challenges, paving the way for a novel concept known as
“trained immunity.” This phenomenon revolves around the epigenetic and metabolic
reprogramming of cells as its central components. A growing body of evidence
suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role in regulating
immune cell development, function, and response to various diseases. Through
intricate protein-protein interactions and interactions with DNA and RNA, lncRNAs
significantly contribute to the modulation of immune processes. However, our
comprehension of the involvement of lncRNAs in trained immunity is still in its early
stages. This review delves into the recent advancements in lncRNA research, focusing
*Corresponding author: on their diverse functions in immune cell development, host-pathogen interactions,
Ravi Shankar Singh potential processes, and their biological significance in trained immunity. Special
(ravi.singh@path.utah.edu) attention is given to the role of lncRNAs in altering chromatin structure, orchestrating
Citation: Nirala BK, Shishodia G, chromosomal looping, and driving metabolic reprogramming within cells.
Kumar P, Singh RS. Long non-
coding RNAs: A trained immunity
perspective. Gene Protein Dis. Keywords: Long non-coding RNA; Trained immunity; Metabolic reprogramming;
2024;3(2):2791. Epigenetics
doi: 10.36922/gpd.2791
Received: January 20, 2024
Accepted: April 29, 2024
Published Online: June 4, 2024 1. Introduction
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s).
This is an Open-Access article Only a small fraction, approximately 2%, of genes undergo transcription to generate
distributed under the terms of the mRNAs that encode functional proteins and peptides. In stark contrast, the majority of
Creative Commons Attribution
License, permitting distribution, the genome is transcribed into non-coding RNA (ncRNA), often termed “dark matter,”
and reproduction in any medium, lacking protein translation. The Human Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE)
1-4
provided the original work is
properly cited. study revealed that around 80% of the genome is functional, with 62 – 75% undergoing
5,6
Publisher’s Note: AccScience transcription, primarily into ncRNA. Analysis of RNA-seq data from human cells
Publishing remains neutral with highlights the prevalence of ncRNAs, surpassing non-ribosomal and non-mitochondrial
regard to jurisdictional claims in 5
published maps and institutional RNAs. ncRNAs exhibit a dual classification based on their functions: Housekeeping
affiliations. RNAs, crucial for fundamental cellular processes, encompass transfer RNAs, small

Volume 3 Issue 2 (2024) 1 doi: 10.36922/gpd.2791