Decoding the noncoding: Prospective of lncRNA-mediated innate immune regulation

• DOI: 10.4161/rna.29937
• Publication Date: 2014-08-19T18:12:20Z
• Authors: Zhonghan Li; Tariq M Rana
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Bacteria; Toll-Like Receptors; Immunity, Innate; Epigenesis, Genetic; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Gene Expression Regulation; Bacterial Vaccines; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; RNA, Long Noncoding; Point-of-View

The innate immune system is the first line of defense against microbial pathogens, but tight regulation of gene expression is necessary to prevent the detrimental effects of unrestrained activation. Although the functions of most long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs; >200 nucleotides) are unknown, many have been shown to regulate diverse cellular activities. Recent reports by us and others have suggested that lncRNAs may also play critical roles in transcriptional regulation of gene expression during innate immune responses. Following engagement of Toll-like receptors, lncRNAs form functional RNA-protein complexes that recruit activators or remove repressors of transcription, leading to rapid expression of inflammatory mediators. These discoveries suggest that lncRNAs may contribute to the gene regulatory networks that govern host-pathogen interactions.