Non-Coding RNAs: Master Regulators of Inflammasomes in Inflammatory Diseases

J Inflamm Res. 2021 Sep 30:14:5023-5050. doi: 10.2147/JIR.S332840. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Emerging data indicates that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) represent more than just "junk sequences" of the genome and have been found to be involved in multiple diseases by regulating various biological process, including the activation of inflammasomes. As an important aspect of innate immunity, inflammasomes are large immune multiprotein complexes that tightly regulate the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediate pyroptosis; the activation of the inflammasomes is a vital biological process in inflammatory diseases. Recent studies have emphasized the function of ncRNAs in the fine control of inflammasomes activation either by directly targeting components of the inflammasomes or by controlling the activity of various factors that control the activation of inflammasomes; consequently, ncRNAs may represent potential therapeutic targets for inflammatory diseases. Understanding the precise role of ncRNAs in controlling the activation of inflammasomes will help us to design targeted therapies for multiple inflammatory diseases. In this review, we summarize the regulatory role and therapeutic potential of ncRNAs in the activation of inflammasomes by focusing on a range of inflammatory diseases, including microbial infection, sterile inflammatory diseases, and fibrosis-related diseases. Our goal is to provide new ideas and perspectives for future research.

Keywords: fibrosis; immune; infection; inflammasomes; inflammation; ncRNAs.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82002021 to Ni Yang and 81971810 to Chun-Feng Liu), the Doctoral Start-up Foundation of Liaoning Province (2021-BS-107 to Tie-Ning Zhang), Liaoning Province Science and Technology Major Special Project (No.2020JH1/10300001 to Chun-Feng Liu), Shenyang Science and Technology Plan Project (20-205-4-002 to Chun-Feng Liu), and 345 Talent Program of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University (M0691 to Tie-Ning Zhang).