Emerging roles of non-coding RNAs in retinal diseases: A review

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are key players in variety of biogenesis and biological functions. Their aberrant expression has been implicated in disease progression. NcRNAs can be divided into short ncRNAs whose subtypes are mainly microRNA (miRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and circular RNA (circRNA). They are involved in cellular processes, including gene regulation, development and disease. The retina is a remarkably sophisticated instrument with interconnected cell types and is the primary target of many genetic diseases. In addition, in terms of retinal dyshomeostasis and inflammation, ncRNAs seems to play critical roles in many retinal diseases. Here, we provide an overview of ncRNAs in developing retina. We also review how does these ncRNAs function in various retinal diseases including animal and human models. These data indicate that ncRNAs regulate cellular processes including cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and contribute to initiation and progression of retinal diseases.