Li YH, Yao YN, Zhou SA, Wang Y. Regulation and intervention of stem cell differentiation by long non-coding RNAs: Mechanisms and therapeutic potential. World J Stem Cells 2025; 17(7): 107688 [DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v17.i7.107688]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Yang Wang, PhD, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, No. 2005 Songhu Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai 200438, China. w_yang@fudan.edu.cn
Research Domain of This Article
Biology
Article-Type of This Article
Minireviews
Open-Access Policy of This Article
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/
World J Stem Cells. Jul 26, 2025; 17(7): 107688 Published online Jul 26, 2025. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v17.i7.107688
Regulation and intervention of stem cell differentiation by long non-coding RNAs: Mechanisms and therapeutic potential
Ye-Hua Li, Yi-Ning Yao, Shen-Ao Zhou, Yang Wang
Ye-Hua Li, Yi-Ning Yao, College of Life Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu Province, China
Shen-Ao Zhou, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
Shen-Ao Zhou, Research and Development, Celliver Biotechnology Inc., Shanghai 200240, China
Yang Wang, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
Co-first authors: Ye-Hua Li and Yi-Ning Yao.
Co-corresponding authors: Shen-Ao Zhou and Yang Wang.
Author contributions: Li YH and Yao YN contributed equally to this work as co-first authors. They were responsible for the original draft preparation, figure and table preparation, and manuscript revision. Zhou SA and Wang Y contributed equally as co-corresponding authors. They conceived the study, revised the manuscript, and approved the final version. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 32200755 and No. 32200621; and the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province, No. 23JRRA696.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (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: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Yang Wang, PhD, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, No. 2005 Songhu Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai 200438, China. w_yang@fudan.edu.cn
Received: March 28, 2025 Revised: April 22, 2025 Accepted: June 13, 2025 Published online: July 26, 2025 Processing time: 118 Days and 21.6 Hours
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play pivotal roles in the regulation of gene expression, particularly in maintaining pluripotency and directing stem cell. By orchestrating stem cell fate decisions and lineage commitment through epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional mechanisms, lncRNAs have emerged as key modulators in developmental biology. Their therapeutic potential has garnered increasing interest, especially in the contexts of regenerative medicine, disease modeling, targeted delivery systems, and precision therapeutics. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms by which lncRNAs govern stem cell differentiation and examines emerging lncRNA-based therapeutic strategies, emphasizing major challenges and prospective research directions in this rapidly advancing field.
Core Tip: As key regulators of stem cell differentiation, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) orchestrate multilayered gene regulation through compartment-specific mechanisms. This review introduces a spatiotemporal framework linking lncRNA localization to epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional control, and highlights emerging lncRNA-targeted therapies. By integrating mechanistic insights with therapeutic strategies, it redefines lncRNAs as dynamic spatial organizers of stem cell fate, offering new opportunities for regenerative medicine and precision therapy.
