Role of microRNAs and long non‑coding RNAs in glucocorticoid signaling (Review)

Katerina Pierouli; Louis Papageorgiou; Thanasis Mitsis; Eleni Papakonstantinou; Io Diakou; Stefanos Leptidis; Markezina Sigala; Konstantina Dragoumani; Demetrios A Spandidos; Flora Bacopoulou; George P Chrousos; George Ν Goulielmos; Elias Eliopoulos; Dimitrios Vlachakis

doi:10.3892/ijmm.2022.5203

Role of microRNAs and long non‑coding RNAs in glucocorticoid signaling (Review)

Int J Mol Med. 2022 Dec;50(6):147. doi: 10.3892/ijmm.2022.5203. Epub 2022 Nov 11.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece.
² Laboratory of Clinical Virology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece.
³ University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health and Precision Medicine, and UNESCO Chair on Adolescent Health Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 'Aghia Sophia' Children's Hospital, 11527 Athens.
⁴ Section of Molecular Pathology and Human Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece.

Abstract

The synthesis and release of glucocorticoids in living organisms are related to their response to unfavorable stressful conditions in order to maintain homeostatic functions and survive. One such hormone in humans is cortisol, which is produced by the hypothalamic‑pituitary‑adrenal cortex axis and binds with the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) following its secretion. GR controls a number of distinct gene networks. Non‑coding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non‑coding RNAs (lncRNAs), regulate the expression and function of GR, having a considerable impact on various biological processes and treatment approaches for numerous disorders. In the present review, the GR pathways and signaling as part of the stress response system are discussed. A detailed report on the role of miRNAs and lncRNAs in glucocorticoid signaling is also presented.

Keywords: GR; endogenous glucocorticoids; glucocorticoid signaling; lncRNAs; miRNAs; stress response system.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Biological Phenomena*
Gene Regulatory Networks
Glucocorticoids
Humans
MicroRNAs* / genetics
MicroRNAs* / metabolism
RNA, Long Noncoding* / genetics
Receptors, Glucocorticoid / genetics

Substances

RNA, Long Noncoding
MicroRNAs
Glucocorticoids
Receptors, Glucocorticoid

Grants and funding

The authors would like to acknowledge funding from the following organizations: i) AdjustEBOVGP-Dx (RIA2018EF-2081): Biochemical Adjustments of native EBOV Glycoprotein in Patient Sample to Unmask target Epitopes for Rapid Diagnostic Testing. A European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP2) under the Horizon 2020 'Research and Innovation Actions' DESCA; and ii) 'MilkSafe: A novel pipeline to enrich formula milk using omics technologies', a research co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund of the European Union and Greek national funds through the Operational Program Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, under the call RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE (project code: T2EDK-02222).