Long Noncoding RNAs: Recent Insights into Their Role in Male Infertility and Their Potential as Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets

Abstract

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are composed of nucleotides located in the nucleus and cytoplasm; these are transcribed by RNA polymerase II and are greater than 200 nt in length. LncRNAs fulfill important functions in a variety of biological processes, including genome imprinting, cell differentiation, apoptosis, stem cell pluripotency, X chromosome inactivation and nuclear transport. As high throughput sequencing technology develops, a substantial number of lncRNAs have been found to be related to a variety of biological processes, such as development of the testes, maintaining the self-renewal and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells, and regulating spermatocyte meiosis. These indicate that lncRNAs can be used as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for male infertility. However, only a few comprehensive reviews have described the role of lncRNAs in male reproduction. In this paper, we summarize recent findings relating to the role of lncRNAs in spermatogenesis, their potential as biomarkers for male infertility and the relationship between reproductive arrest and transgenerational effects. Finally, we suggest specific targets for the treatment of male infertility from the perspective of lncRNAs.

An integrative analysis of an lncRNA–mRNA competing endogenous RNA network to identify functional lncRNAs in uterine leiomyomas with RNA sequencing

“…In these years, lncRNAs, which were considered as byproducts of RNA polymerase II, have emerged to play important roles in regulating various physiological and pathological processes ( Jain et al, 2022 ; Lin et al, 2022 ). In addition, more and more studies have demonstrated that lncRNAs are closely associated with the occurrence and development of tumors, aging, and inflammation, with the rapid development of molecular biology and genetic diagnostic techniques ( Klapproth et al, 2021 ; Zhao et al, 2021 ). A great number of studies have found the dysregulation of lncRNAs and mRNAs involved in many cell-signaling pathways and participated in the occurrence and development of UL ( Nothnick, 2016 ; Lin et al, 2022 ).…”

“…With the development of high-throughput sequencing, novel bioinformatics approaches, and corresponding experimental validation, a broad spectrum of mRNAs and lncRNAs have been suggested to play an important role in various biological processes ( Klapproth et al, 2021 ; Lin et al, 2022 ). Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a type of long non-coding RNA molecules, more than 200 nucleotides in length, which limited their protein-encoding potential ( Zhao et al, 2021 ). Functionally, accumulating evidences have implicated that lncRNAs are involved in various physiological processes, such as human genome imprinting, chromatin remodeling, X chromosome silencing, epigenetic regulation, and cell cycle and differentiation, and that the abnormal expression and dysfunction of lncRNAs play an functional role in the occurrence and development of a variety of diseases ( Wu et al, 2021 ; Jain et al, 2022 ).…”

“…In addition, they also directly interact with some important proteins to augment or attenuate their function ( Liu et al, 2021 ). In addition, the abnormal expression or functional changes in lncRNA expression have become important biological regulators for understanding the molecular mechanisms of these diseases and identifying effective diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets ( Hu et al, 2021 ; Zhao et al, 2021 ). However, little information available in literature studies about the association between lncRNAs and the progression of UL has yet been elucidated.…”

Noncoding RNAs in the Glycolysis of Ovarian Cancer

“…LncRNAs are a category of noncoding RNAs with over 200 nucleotides in length, tissue specificity and low species conservation ( Jalaiei et al, 2021 ; Zhao et al, 2021 ). LncRNAs bind to proteins through their unique secondary structure to form RNA-protein complexes ( Dashti et al, 2021 ; Janaththani et al, 2021 ; Mardani et al, 2021 ) and interact with multiple RNAs to form complex gene expression regulatory networks ( Sun and Feinberg 2021 ; Wu et al, 2021 ).…”

Reduced expression ofCFAP44andCFAP44‐AS1may affect sperm motility and morphology

“…Additionally, lncRNAs affect RNA stability and structure and are also involved in post‐transcriptional processes. These various functions are because they have the potential to interact with DNA sequences; also, they can interact with RNA molecules with complementary sequences and they can bind to a variety of proteins by forming secondary complex structures (Moran et al, 2012; Zhao et al, 2021). Earlier studies showed that several lncRNAs, including NEAT1, MALAT1 , MRH1 , HongrES2 and NLC1‐C were expressed in the male reproductive system, and overexpression of lncRNA HOTTIP was associated with male infertility (Liu, Mao, et al, 2018; Su et al, 2019).…”