Targeting Human lncRNAs for Treating Cardiometabolic Diseases

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have evolved as a critical regulatory mechanism for almost all biological processes. By dynamically interacting with their molecular partners, lncRNAs regulate gene activity at multiple levels ranging from transcription, pre-mRNA splicing, RNA transporting, RNA decay, and translation of mRNA.

Dysregulation of lncRNAs has been associated with human diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative, and cardiometabolic diseases. However, as lncRNAs are usually much less conserved than mRNAs at the sequence level, most human lncRNAs are either primate or human specific. The pathophysiological significance of human lncRNAs is still mostly unclear due to the persistent limitations in studying human-specific genes. This review will focus on recent discoveries showing human lncRNAs' roles in regulating metabolic homeostasis and the potential of targeting this unique group of genes for treatment of cardiometabolic diseases.