title: Insights into multiple sclerosis provided by non-coding RNAs: meeting summary from the symposium 'non-coding RNAs in autoimmune disorders of the central nervous system' on 5 April 2013 in Warsaw, Poland.
abstract: More than 80% of the human genome is biochemically active, whereas less than 3% of the genome encodes proteins. The emerging field of non-coding ribonucleic acids (RNAs) that are products of the genome, but do not program proteins, has revolutionized our understanding of cell biology. This was followed by a growing interest in the role of non-coding RNAs in the pathogenesis of human diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). In April 2013, a symposium in Warsaw, Poland, was the first meeting entirely dedicated to advances in the understanding of the roles of various subclasses of non-coding RNAs and showcased their involvement in autoimmune demyelination and MS. New mechanisms of action of small non-coding RNAs, as well as the advent of long non-coding RNAs were discussed, including the potential role of non-coding RNAs as MS biomarkers and their use for therapeutic intervention in MS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Marcin P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Mycko
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Howard L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Weiner
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University of Lodz, Poland kselmaj@afazja.am.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Krzysztof W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Selmaj
mesh_terms: D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011044:Poland; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D022661:RNA, Untranslated
keywords: Autoimmune disease; RNA; biomarker; central nervous system; demyelination; multiple sclerosis; non-coding RNA; symposium