Runx1t1 regulates the neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells from the rat hippocampus

Diagnostic and prognostic value of the RUNXOR/RUNX1 axis in multiple sclerosis

The runt-related transcription factor-1 (RUNX1) gene with its lncRNA RUNXOR are recently becoming a research focus in various diseases, specifically immune-related diseases as they are implicated in multiple pathways. Interestingly, their role in multiple sclerosis (MS) remains unstudied. The present study explored the role of RUNXOR/RUNX1 in the development and progression of MS and investigated their possible mechanism of action. We measured the serum expression levels of lncRNA RUNXOR, as well as RUNX1, microtubule associated protein 2 (MAP2), nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNAs in 30 healthy controls and 120 MS patients subdivided into 4 groups: 30 clinically isolated syndrome patients, 30 relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients in relapse, 30 RRMS patients in remission and 30 secondary progressive MS patients. Additionally, we measured the serum protein levels of RUNX1, MAP2, NGF, BDNF and interleukin-10 (IL-10). All measured RNA expression levels were markedly downregulated and, consequently, the protein levels of RUNX1, MAP2, NGF, BDNF and IL-10 were significantly decreased in MS patients compared to healthy controls. Moreover, the levels of the measured parameters varied significantly within the MS groups. According to receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve and logistic regression analyses, lncRNA RUNXOR, RUNX1 mRNA and its protein levels were predictors of disease progression, in addition to RUNX1 mRNA exhibiting a diagnostic potential. Altogether, this study suggests the implication of the RUNXOR-RUNX1 axis in MS development, progression, and increased MS-related disability, and highlights the potential utility of the studied parameters as promising diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers for MS.

Region-specific expression of circular RNAs in the mouse brain

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are abundant in mammalian brain and their expression is regulated in a tissue- and developmental stage-specific manner. Mammalian brain is the most transcriptionally complex organ. While many studies have extensively studied linear transcriptome and its biological functions in the brain, the circular transcriptome remains largely unexplored. This study focused on investigation of circRNA expression patterns in the mammalian brain regions critical for cognitive and memory functions and performed comparative analysis with the linear transcriptome. Altogether our study showed that circular and linear RNAs have independent expression patterns despite being derived from the same genomic locus, and that circular transcriptomes from different brain region have distinct characteristics in terms of transcript abundance and composition.