Non-coding RNA: From gene expression regulation to precision medicine and modern therapeutic applications – A comprehensive scientific review

Abstract

Recently, there has been a surge of interest in understanding gene regulation following the discovery that a significant portion of the human genome does not code for proteins but rather produces molecules of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) that perform complex and essential regulatory functions in various cellular processes. This discovery overturned the previously held belief that ncRNA was a functionless nucleic acid. Modern studies have demonstrated that these molecules are among the most important regulators of gene expression at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and epigenetic levels, and are involved in controlling cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, immune response, and maintaining homeostasis. These molecules are diverse, including microRNA, long non-coding RNA, circular RNA, small interfering RNA, and other types that play specialized roles in regulating gene networks. Recent research has shown that disruptions in the expression of these molecules are closely linked to the development of many diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and immune and metabolic diseases. In recent years, non-coding RNA has become a major focus in precision medicine due to its great potential as a highly sensitive and specific biomarker for early diagnosis, predicting disease course, and assessing therapeutic response, as well as its role as a promising therapeutic target in the development of modern molecular therapies.