Non-Coding RNAs in Vascular Calcification: Regulatory Networks, Functional Diversity, and Therapeutic Insights

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Vascular calcification is a pathological process implicated in chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and aging, with limited effective treatments.
• Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are increasingly recognized as critical regulators in various biological processes, including vascular calcification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and categorize microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in vascular calcification based on signaling pathways.
• To elucidate the regulatory roles and crosstalk of different ncRNAs (miRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs, piRNAs, tsRNAs) in vascular calcification.
• To explore the potential of circulating ncRNAs as non-invasive biomarkers and therapeutic targets for vascular calcification.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and categorization of miRNAs based on their involvement in signaling pathways (e.g., Wnt/β-catenin, BMP/Smad, NF-κB).
• Analysis of regulatory patterns of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs).
• Integration of evidence on emerging ncRNAs (piRNAs, tsRNAs) and circulating ncRNAs in vascular calcification.

Main Results:

• Identified key regulatory nodes and pathway crosstalk in vascular calcification mediated by miRNAs.
• Highlighted the functional duality and context-dependency of miRNAs, emphasizing the need for disease-selective delivery.
• Summarized diverse regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs and circRNAs, and introduced piRNAs and tsRNAs in vascular calcification.
• Presented evidence for circulating ncRNAs as potential non-invasive biomarkers.

Conclusions:

• ncRNAs play a pivotal role in the network-based regulation of vascular calcification.
• Understanding ncRNA networks provides a theoretical basis for precision diagnosis and multi-target therapeutic interventions.
• Targeted delivery strategies are crucial for miRNA-based therapies to avoid functional reversal.