Modulation of gene-specific epigenetic states and transcription by non-coding RNAs

Emerging evidence points to a role for long non-coding RNAs in the modulation of epigenetic states and transcription in human cells. New insights, using various forms of small non-coding RNAs, suggest that a mechanism of action is operative in human cells, which utilizes non-coding RNAs to direct epigenetic marks to homology containing loci resulting ultimately in the epigenetic-based modulation of gene transcription. Importantly, insights into this mechanism of action have allowed for certain target sequences, which are either actively involved in RNA mediated epigenetic regulation or targets for non-coding RNA based epigenetic regulation, to be selected. As such, it is now feasible to utilize small antisense RNAs to either epigenetically silence a gene expression or remove epigenetic silencing of endogenous non-coding RNAs and essentially turn on a gene expression. Knowledge of this emerging RNA-based epigenetic regulatory network and our ability to cognitively control gene expression has deep implications in the development of an entirely new area of pharmacopeia.