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Revolution in immunology: New insights into RNA molecules!
Researchers at the University of Marburg discovered new RNA metabolic processes in the immune system. Results could offer therapeutic approaches for inflammation.
Revolution in immunology: New insights into RNA molecules!
Research into the role of RNA molecules in immune defense has made significant progress. Researchers led by Leon Schulte and Nils Schmerer from the Philipps University of Marburg have decoded new metabolic processes of non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that are crucial for the inflammatory processes of immune cells. The results of this comprehensive study were published in the respected specialist magazineNature Communicationspublished. An essential part of this research was the development of a novel analysis method called GRADR, which visualizes the interaction of lncRNAs with proteins in macrophages.
The atlas created as part of the study shows how long non-coding RNAs, long considered “junk DNA,” take on fundamental functions in the immune system. Particularly noteworthy is the RNA molecule ROCKI, which blocks a cellular “off switch” and thus promotes the inflammatory response. Together with four other lncRNAs, ROCKI influences central signaling pathways of the innate immune response, which are important for the defense against pathogens.
Role of noncoding RNAs
Generating a comprehensive understanding of the functions of lncRNAs, the study shows that over 85% of the human genome is transcribed, while less than 2% contains protein-coding genes. Despite this high level of transcription, the function of most lncRNAs is still unclear, as less than 3% of these transcripts have so far been assigned specific functions. These lncRNAs regulate genes at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels in various ways.
The importance of lncRNAs in the immune process is an emerging field of research. Currently, only about 4% of studies on lncRNAs focus on their role in innate immunity, although these molecules are able to regulate neighboring genes and activate immune cells such as macrophages by interacting with specific receptors. In this context, analysis of the lncRNA LincRNA-Cox2 shows that this RNA plays a key role in the regulation of pro-inflammatory genes.
Implications for diagnosis and therapy
The new findings from research could have far-reaching effects on medical diagnostics and therapy. By identifying specific lncRNAs as new diagnostic markers or therapeutic targets, treatments for inflammatory diseases such as sepsis or pneumonia could be developed. The study also offers a public web platform called SMyLR, which enables researchers to specifically search for immunological RNAs and understand their regulation.
The extensive research was supported not only by the Philipps University of Marburg, but also by partner institutions from Freiburg, Giessen, Berlin and Munich. Funding was provided by, among others, the German Research Foundation, the Hessian Ministry of Science and the Von Behring-Röntgen Foundation. If these findings provide a will for the future, extensive further investigations are required in order to continue to decipher and understand the mechanisms and functions of non-coding RNAs.