Advancements in our understanding of circular and long non-coding RNAs in spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI), either from trauma or degenerative changes, can result in severe disability and impaired quality of life. Understanding the cellular processes and molecular mechanisms that underlie SCI is imperative to identifying molecular targets for potential therapy. Recent studies have shown that non-coding RNAs, including both long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), regulate various cellular processes in SCI. In this review, we will describe the changes in lncRNA and circRNA expression that occur after SCI and how these changes may be related to SCI progression. Current evidence for the roles of lncRNAs and circRNAs in neuronal cell death and glial cell activation will also be reviewed. Finally, the possibility that lncRNAs and circRNAs are novel modulators of SCI pathogenesis will be discussed.