Potential Function of Glycosylated RNA in Diseases

This article reviews the potential role of glycosylated RNA (glycoRNA), a new form of RNA epigenetic modification, in diseases. GlycoRNA has two types of modifications, N-glycosylation and O-glycosylation, and is widely present on the surface of many tissues and cells. Early studies have shown that glycoRNA can bind to molecules such as siglec receptors, P-selectin, and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), thereby mediating intercellular interactions and participating in various pathological processes, including tumor proliferation and metastasis, as well as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular inflammatory responses and immune regulation. Although current research faces challenges such as unclear glycosylation mechanisms, limited detection techniques, and difficulties in clinical translation, glycoRNA still shows potential as a new biomarker and therapeutic target. Future research is expected to elucidate its molecular mechanisms further and promote its application in disease diagnosis and treatment. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > RNA Editing and Modification RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.