Antisense RNAs and epigenetic regulation

Antisense RNA is the first noncoding RNA found to have a regulatory function. With the advances of biological science, it has been recognized that the function of antisense RNAs is not only limited to post-transcriptional regulation, but extends to transcriptional regulation of various important genes leading to epigenetic changes in DNA methylation and histone modifications. Gene regulation by antisense RNA is a general phenomenon observed in eukaryotic cells while genome-wide natural antisense transcripts have been identified in many animals and plants. Antisense RNAs are not only involved in X-chromosome inactivation and imprinted silencing in normal cells, but aberrantly expressed antisense RNAs can also induce epigenetic silencing of tumor suppressor genes in cancer cells and deletion-induced aberrant antisense RNAs lead to epigenetic silencing and diseases. While a general picture of the pathways involved in antisense RNA-mediated gene regulation has emerged, many questions remain. The mechanisms by which genes are regulated by antisense RNAs, antisense transcript itself is produced and aberrant antisense RNAs induce human diseases are all research focuses of the future.