Analyses of the international human genome sequencing results in 2004 converged to a consensual number of ~20,000 protein-coding genes, spanning over <2% of the total genomic sequence. Therefore, the developmental and physiological complexity of human beings remains unaccounted if viewed only in terms of the number of protein-coding genes; the epigenetic influences involving chromatin remodelling and RNA interference and alternative precursor messenger RNA splicing of functional protein-coding transcripts as well as post-translational modifications of proteins increase the diversity and the functionality of the proteome and likely explain the increased complexity. In addition, there has been an explosion of research addressing possible functional roles for the other 98% of the human genome that does not encode proteins. In fact, >90% of the human genome is likely to be transcribed yielding a complex network of overlapping transcripts that include tens of thousands of long RNAs with little or no protein forming capacity; they are collectively called non-coding RNA. This review highlights the fundamental concepts of biological roles of non-coding RNA and their importance in regulation of cellular physiology under disease conditions like cancer.

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Aptamers are short sequences of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) or peptide molecules which adopt a conformation and bind cognate ligands with high affinity and specificity in a manner akin to antibody-antigen interactions. It has been globally acknowledged that aptamers promise a plethora of diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Although use of nucleic acid aptamers as targeted therapeutics or mediators of targeted drug delivery is a relatively new avenue of research, one aptamer-based drug “Macugen” is FDA approved and a series of aptamer-based drugs are in clinical pipelines. The present review discusses the aspects of design, unique properties, applications, and development of different aptamers to aid in cancer diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment under defined conditions.

Abstract:The classical activity of telomerase is to synthesize telomeric repeats and thus maintain telomere length, which in turn ensures chromosome stability and cellular proliferation. However, there is growing evidence that implicates telomerase in many other functions that are independent of TERC being used as its template. Telomerase has an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) activity in the mitochondria. Other than viral RdRPs, it is the only RNAdependent RNA polymerase that has been identified in mammals. It also plays a role in the Wnt signaling pathway by acting as a transcriptional modulator. Telomerase acts as a reverse transcriptase independent of its core subunit, TERC. Studies indicate that telomerase is also involved in apoptosis and DNA repair.

Trigonella foenum graecum (fenugreek) seed powder has been suggested to have potential antidiabetic effects. The effect of oral administration of Trigonella whole seed powder (5% in the diet) for 21 days on glycolytic, gluconeogenic and NADP-linked lipogenic enzymes were studied in liver and kidney tissues of alloxan-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Diabetic rats were characterised by a 4-fold higher blood glucose level and a 0.7-fold lower body weight compared to normal controls. The activities of the glycolytic enzymes were significantly lower in the diabetic liver and higher in the diabetic kidney. The activities of gluconeogenic enzymes were higher in both liver and kidney during diabetes, however the activities of the lipogenic enzymes were decreased in both tissues during diabetes. Trigonella seed powder treatment to diabetic rats for 21 days brought down the elevated fasting blood glucose levels to control levels. The altered enzyme activities were significantly restored to control values in both the liver and kidney after Trigonella seed powder treatment. The therapeutic role of Trigonella seed powder in type-1 diabetes as exemplified in this study can be attributed to the change of glucose and lipid metabolising enzyme activities to normal values, thus stabilizing glucose homeostasis in the liver and kidney. These biochemical effects exerted by Trigonella seeds make it a possible new therapeutic in type-1 diabetes.

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Vanadium has been reported to have broad pharmacological activity both in vitro and in vivo. Vanadium compound, sodium orthovanadate, Na3VO4, is well known for its hypoglycaemic effects. However, Na3VO4 exerts these effects at relatively high doses (0.6 mg/ml) and exhibit several toxic effects. In the present study lower doses of Na3VO4 (0.2 mg/ml) are combined with Trigonella foenum graecum seed powder (TSP), another hypoglycaemic agent, to reduce its toxicity without compromising its antidiabetic potential. The efficacy of the lower doses of Na3VO4 has been investigated in restoring the altered glucose metabolism and histological structure in the sciatic nerves in 21 and 60 days alloxan diabetic rats. A portion of the glucose was found to be channelled from the normal glycolytic route to polyol pathway, evident by the reduced hexokinase activity and increased polyol pathway enzymes aldose reductase and sorbitol dehydrogenase activity causing accumulation of sorbitol and fructose in diabetic conditions. Ultrastructural observation of the sciatic nerve showed extensive demylination and axonal loss after eight weeks of diabetes induction. Blood glucose levels increased in diabetic rats were normalized with the lower dose of vanadium and Trigonella treatment. The treatment of the diabetic rats with vanadium and Trigonella prevented the activation of the polyol pathway and sugar accumulations. The sciatic nerves were also protected against the structural abnormalities found in diabetes with Trigonella foenum graecum as well as Na3VO4. Results suggest that lower doses of Na3VO4 may be used in combination with TSP as an efficient antidiabetic agent to effectively control the long-term complications of diabetes in tissues like peripheral nerve.

Measles is a highly transmissible disease caused by measles virus and remains a major cause of child mortality in developing countries. Measles virus nucleoprotein (N) encapsidates the RNA genome of the virus for providing protection from host cell endonucleases and for specific recognition of viral RNA as template for transcription and replication. This protein is over-expressed at the time of viral replication. The C-terminal of N protein is intrinsically disordered, which enables this protein to interact with several host cell proteins. It was previously proved in our laboratory that N expressing human cancerous cells undergo programmed cell death because of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation as well as Caspase 3 activation. The phosphoprotein (P) along with N protein enclosed viral genomic RNA forming a ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP). It also establishes interaction with the large protein (L) i.e. viral RNA dependent RNA polymerase to ensure viral replication within host cells. The host cell receptors of this virus are CD46, SLAM/CD150 and PVRL4. Measles virus is latently oncotropic in nature and possesses oncolytic property by syncytia formation. We try to highlight the application of this property in developing a virotherapeutic vehicle.