Non‐coding RNAs: emerging regulatory factors in the derivation and differentiation of mammalian parthenogenetic embryonic stem cells

Abstract

Parthenogenetic embryonic stem cells (PESCs) are ESCs derived from early parthenogenetic embryos. Haploid PESCs, containing haploid DNA, originate from a single sperm or occyte, while, diploid PESCs originate from two fused occytes. Most PESC lines used so far are diploid. PESCs exhibit representative pluripotent stem cell features, such as the capacity for self-renewal and the pariticular molecular signatures. Whereas, PESCs display distinctive properties, such as differential regulation of X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) and divergent monitor of genes involved in multiple biological processes. PESCs are considered promising in the regeneration medicine and developmental biology. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), especially miRNAs and lncRNAs, have garnered increasing attention over the past 2 decades. They are now known to be involved in almost all cellular processes due to their full-range regulation of gene expression. Numerous studies have indicated that embryonic stem cells (ESCs) displayed distinct signatures of ncRNA genes, which play key roles in the pluripotency and self renewal of ESCs. However, the expression pattern of ncRNAs in PESCs and their roles in the derivation and differentiation of PESCs were rarely reported. In this paper, we reviewed recent research on the derivation and differentiation of PESCs and describe the emerging role of ncRNAs in these processes.

The role of the long non‐coding RNA HOXA11‐AS in promoting proliferation and metastasis of malignant tumors

“…Despite that the recent advances on lncRNA have progressed rapidly, the functions of most of lncRNAs are still unclear. According to their function, lncRNAs can be classified into four categories: (i) signal molecule; (ii) decoy molecule; (iii) guide molecule; and (iv) scaffold molecule (Figure 1) (Gong and Maquat, 2011;Cui and Xie, 2017). LncRNAs have once been thought as the "dark matter" of the genome, but an abnormal expression of lncRNAs virtually participates in all stages of cancer development, including cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis.…”

miR-122-5p regulates the tight junction of the blood-testis barrier of mice via occludin

“…The role of miRs in spermatogenesis became a hotspot in research of the male reproductive system. Different miRs are involved in the proliferation [2][3][4] and differentiation of spermatogenic cells [5] and spermatogenesis [6]. Although miRs were closely correlated with the modulation of spermatogenesis, the detailed mechanisms are not clear [7,8].…”