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Copyright ©The Author(s) 2019. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Stem Cells. Mar 26, 2019; 11(3): 167-179
Published online Mar 26, 2019. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v11.i3.167
Long non-coding RNA: The functional regulator of mesenchymal stem cells
Zhong-Yu Xie, Peng Wang, Yan-Feng Wu, Hui-Yong Shen
Zhong-Yu Xie, Peng Wang, Hui-Yong Shen, Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518033, Guangdong Province, China
Yan-Feng Wu, Center for Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Xie ZY and Wang P conceived the manuscript and collected supportive literature; Wu YF and Shen HY revised and proofread the manuscript.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Nos. 81672097, 81672128, and 81702120.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no potential conflicts of interests to declare.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Hui-Yong Shen, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 3025, Shennan Middle Road, Futian District, Shenzhen 518033, Guangdong Province, China. shenhuiy@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Telephone: +86-20-81332612 Fax: +86-20-81332319
Received: January 13, 2019
Peer-review started: January 14, 2019
First decision: January 26, 2019
Revised: February 7, 2019
Accepted: February 27, 2019
Article in press: February 28, 2019
Published online: March 26, 2019
Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a subset of multipotent stroma cells residing in various tissues of the body. Apart from supporting the hematopoietic stem cell niche, MSCs possess strong immunoregulatory ability and multiple differentiation potentials. These powerful capacities allow the extensive application of MSCs in clinical practice as an effective treatment for diseases. Therefore, illuminating the functional mechanism of MSCs will help to improve their curative effect and promote their clinical use. Long noncoding RNA (LncRNA) is a novel class of noncoding RNA longer than 200 nt. Recently, multiple studies have demonstrated that LncRNA is widely involved in growth and development through controlling the fate of cells, including MSCs. In this review, we highlight the role of LncRNA in regulating the functions of MSCs and discuss their participation in the pathogenesis of diseases and clinical use in diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords: Mesenchymal stem cells, Long non-coding RNA, Regulator, Multipotent stroma cells

Core tip: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an important kind of multipotent stroma cells in vivo. The various and powerful functions of MSCs are under the control of long non-coding RNA (LncRNA). Previously, many studies have been conducted to illustrate the role of LncRNA in the functions of MSCs. In this review, we highlight LncRNA as a great functional regulator of MSCs and discuss their participation in the pathogenesis of diseases and clinical use in diagnosis and treatment.