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Review
. 2023 Jul 23;20(1):173.
doi: 10.1186/s12974-023-02856-0.

Emerging role of non-coding RNAs in neuroinflammation mediated by microglia and astrocytes

Ruicheng Yang #  1   2   3 , Bo Yang #  1   4 , Wei Liu  1   5 , Chen Tan  1   2   3 , Huanchun Chen  1   2   3 , Xiangru Wang  6   7   8
Affiliations
Review

Emerging role of non-coding RNAs in neuroinflammation mediated by microglia and astrocytes

Ruicheng Yang et al. J Neuroinflammation. .

Abstract

Neuroinflammation has been implicated in the initiation and progression of several central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, viral encephalitis, and bacterial encephalitis. Microglia and astrocytes are essential in neural development, maintenance of synaptic connections, and homeostasis in a healthy brain. The activation of astrocytes and microglia is a defense mechanism of the brain against damaged tissues and harmful pathogens. However, their activation triggers neuroinflammation, which can exacerbate or induce CNS injury. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are functional RNA molecules that lack coding capabilities but can actively regulate mRNA expression and function through various mechanisms. ncRNAs are highly expressed in astrocytes and microglia and are potential mediators of neuroinflammation. We reviewed the recent research progress on the role of miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs in regulating neuroinflammation in various CNS diseases. Understanding how these ncRNAs affect neuroinflammation will provide important therapeutic insights for preventing and managing CNS dysfunction.

Keywords: Astrocytes; Microglia; Neuroinflammation; circRNAs; lncRNAs; miRNAs.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Brief summary of miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs as a factor controlling neuroinflammation
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Brief summary of ncRNAs crosstalking between neurons, astrocytes, and microglia in CNS diseases
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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