title: Uncovering the roles of long noncoding RNAs in neural development and glioma progression.
abstract: In the past decade, thousands of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified, and emerging data indicate that lncRNAs can have important biological functions and roles in human diseases including cancer. Many lncRNAs appear to be expressed specifically in the brain, and the roles of lncRNAs in neural stem cells (NSCs) and brain development are now beginning to be discovered. Here we review recent advances in understanding the diversity of lncRNA structure and functions in NSCs and brain development. NSCs in the adult mouse ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) generate new neurons throughout life, and we discuss how key elements of this adult neurogenic system have facilitated the discovery and functional characterization of known and novel lncRNAs. A review of lncRNAs described in other NSC systems reveals a variety of molecular mechanisms, including binding and recruitment of transcription factors, epigenetic modifiers, and RNA-splicing factors. Finally, we review emerging evidence indicating that specific lncRNAs can be key drivers of glial tumors, and discuss next steps towards an in vivo understanding of lncRNA function in development and disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA.
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Attenello
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA; San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA. Electronic address: daniel.lim@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019175:DNA Methylation; D018450:Disease Progression; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D005910:Glioma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D020547:Lateral Ventricles / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D055495:Neurogenesis; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding
keywords: Brain development; Brain tumor; Cell; Chromatin; Epigenetics; Glioma; Long noncoding RNA; Neural stem; Neurogenesis; lncRNA