Non-coding RNA: emerging players and therapeutic targets in heart failure

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) is a syndrome of global concern with high morbidity and mortality, whose complex molecular regulatory mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Moving beyond the traditional research framework focused on microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), and circular RNAs, this review concentrates on the pivotal roles of emerging ncRNAs - specifically Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), transfer RNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), and small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) - in the pathological progression of HF. In the acute phase of HF, these molecules rapidly respond to stressors such as ischemia and hypoxia. They directly influence cardiomyocyte fate and acute injury outcomes by regulating processes including apoptosis, necroptosis, autophagy, and inflammatory responses. During the chronic phase, they are deeply involved in pathological myocardial remodeling. They precisely regulate cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, cardiac fibroblast activation, and interstitial fibrosis in a cell-specific manner, maintaining a fine-tuned balance between pro-pathological and protective functions. These discoveries significantly enrich the molecular regulatory map of HF and reveal the considerable potential of these ncRNAs as novel non-invasive biomarkers and promising therapeutic targets. Of particular note, strategies employing engineered exosomes to deliver specific snoRNAs have demonstrated therapeutic effects in preclinical models, such as reversing fibrosis and improving cardiac function. This marks a shift in the treatment paradigm for HF toward precise RNA-level regulation.

Keywords

ncRNAs / HF / targeted therapy

References

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