Journal: Current Drug Targets
Guest editor(s): Christos Kontos
Co-Guest Editor(s):

Introduction

Messenger and non-coding RNAs, including long and small transcripts, are mediators of gene expression. Gene expression at the RNA level shows significant aberrations in human diseases, including cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders. Human transcripts serve either as biomarkers of diagnosis, prognosis, prediction of treatment response and/or therapy efficacy monitoring. Moreover, RNA molecules constitute important drug targets of can be used as drugs against a wide range of human diseases. This Thematic Issue focuses on the information of the readers regarding the potential of mRNAs, microRNAs, tRNA-derived RNA fragments, circular RNAs, and linear long non-coding RNAs in human pathological states as biomarkers, drug targets, or drugs against human diseases. It also involves the molecular alterations of signaling, starting from RNA expression alterations. The authors are encouraged to submit their original research studies and review articles. I hope that this Thematic Issue regarding the identity, biological role, and/or clinical utility of RNAs will attract the interest of the readers of this journal.

Keywords

Cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, biomarkers, therapy, non-coding RNA.

Sub-topics

The sub-topics to be covered within the issue should be provided:

Ø  Human transcripts as treatment response or monitoring biomarkers

Ø  RNAs as drugs or drug targets

Ø  Cellular and molecular signaling pathways

Ø  Regulation of gene transcription in human diseases

Ø  Non-coding RNA expression aberrations in the pathology of human diseases

Ø  Circular RNAs (circRNAs) in human malignancies, cardiovascular and neurological diseases