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The importance of non-coding RNAs in environmental stress-related developmental brain disorders: A systematic review of evidence associated with exposure to alcohol, anesthetic drugs, nicotine, and viral infections. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021 Sep;128:633-647

Date

06/30/2021

Pubmed ID

34186153

Pubmed Central ID

PMC8357057

DOI

10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.033

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85109839820 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   13 Citations

Abstract

Brain development is a dynamic and lengthy process that includes cell proliferation, migration, neurogenesis, gliogenesis, synaptogenesis, and pruning. Disruption of any of these developmental events can result in long-term outcomes ranging from brain structural changes, to cognitive and behavioral abnormality, with the mechanisms largely unknown. Emerging evidence suggests non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) as pivotal molecules that participate in normal brain development and neurodevelopmental disorders. NcRNAs such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are transcribed from the genome but not translated into proteins. Many ncRNAs have been implicated as tuners of cell fate. In this review, we started with an introduction of the current knowledge of lncRNAs and miRNAs, and their potential roles in brain development in health and disorders. We then reviewed and discussed the evidence of ncRNA involvement in abnormal brain development resulted from alcohol, anesthetic drugs, nicotine, and viral infections. The complex connections among these ncRNAs were also discussed, along with potential overlapping ncRNA mechanisms, possible pharmacological targets for therapeutic/neuroprotective interventions, and potential biomarkers for brain developmental disorders.

Author List

Arzua T, Jiang C, Yan Y, Bai X

Author

Xiaowen Bai PhD Associate Professor in the Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy department at Medical College of Wisconsin




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Anesthetics
Brain Diseases
Humans
MicroRNAs
Nicotine
RNA, Untranslated
Virus Diseases