Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common diabetic complication and the main cause of blindness worldwide, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. Studies have shown that noncoding RNA (ncRNA) has distinct differentiated expression in DR and plays an important role in the occurrence and development of DR. ncRNAs represented by microRNAs (miRNAs), lncRNAs (lncRNAs), and circRNAs (circRNAs) have been shown to be widely involved in the regulation of gene expression and affect multiple biological processes of retinopathy. This article will review three RNAs related to the occurrence and development of DR on the basis of previous studies (especially their effects on retinal microangiopathy, retinal pigment epithelial cells, and retinal nerve cells) and discuss their underlying mechanisms and connections. Overall, this review will help us better understand the role of ncRNAs in the occurrence and development of DR and provide ideas for exploring potential therapeutic directions and targets.

Highlights The origin of osteosarcoma cells from osteoblasts and mesenchymal stem cells remains controversial. Mesenchymal stem cells regulate the development of osteosarcoma by influencing the tumor microenvironment and mediating cell communication. Mesenchymal stem cells and exosomes secreted by them can be used as good genes and drug carriers for the treatment of osteosarcoma. Mesenchymal stem cells from different tissue sources have different regulatory effects on the development of osteosarcoma.

Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most common type of endocrine cancer. Over the last 50 years, the global incidence of TC has been increasing. The survival rate of TC is higher than that of most other types of cancer, but it depends on numerous factors, including the specific type of TC and stage of the disease. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a new class of long noncoding RNA with a closed loop structure that have a critical role in the complex gene regulatory network that controls the emergence of TC. The most important function of circRNAs is their ability to specifically bind to microRNAs. In addition, the biological functions of circRNAs also include interactions with proteins, regulation of the transcription of genes and acting as translation templates. Based on the characteristics of circRNAs, they have been identified as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of tumors. In the present review, the function and significance of circRNAs and their potential clinical implications for TC were summarized. Furthermore, possible treatment approaches involving the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and exosomes derived from MSCs as carriers to load and transport circRNAs were discussed.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common chronic joint diseases and is gradually becoming the main cause of disability and joint pain in the elderly worldwide. Pyroptosis is a regulated programmed cell death triggered by inflammasomes. It leads to cell swelling, lysis, and bioactive molecule secretion. Studies found that the damaged chondrocytes in OA joints had morphological characteristics of pyroptosis, and the cytokines associated with pyroptosis in synovial fluid increased, indicating that pyroptosis may have certain impacts on the pathological progression of OA. This review briefly summarizes the molecular mechanisms of pyroptosis and the epidemiology and pathogenesis of OA. Furthermore, we discussed the role of pyroptosis in articular cartilage and synovium during OA and reviewed the progress of pyroptosis-related molecules in the targeted therapy of OA joints, hoping to provide feasible directions for the diversified treatment of OA.

Background: The relationship between microRNA-21 (miRNA-21) and pathogenesis of lung cancer is a considerable focus of research interest. However, to our knowledge, no in-depth meta-analyses based on existing evidence to ascertain the value of miRNA-21 in diagnosis and clinical prognosis of lung cancer have been documented. Methods: We comprehensively searched all the literature pertaining to “miRNA-21” and “lung cancer” from four databases from the period of inception of each database until May 2020. Using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, the literature for inclusion was identified and the necessary data extracted. Results: In total, 46 articles were included in the meta-analysis, among which 31 focused on diagnostic value and 15 on prognostic value. Combined sensitivity of miRNA-21 in diagnosis of lung cancer was 0.77 (95% CI: 0.72–0.81), specificity was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.80–0.90), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was (95% CI: 12–33), and area under the SROC curve (AUC) was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.84–0.90). No significant correlations were observed between abnormal expression of miRNA-21 and gender, smoking habits, pathological type and clinical stage of lung cancer (P>0.05). In terms of overall survival, univariate analysis (HR=1.49, 95% CI: 1.22–1.82) revealed high expression of miRNA-21 as an influencing factor for lung cancer. MiRNA-21 was confirmed as an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in multivariate analysis (HR=1.65, 95% CI: 1.24–2.19). Conclusion: MiRNA-21 has potential clinical value in the diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancer and may serve as an effective diagnostic marker and therapeutic target in the future.