The Role of Non-coding RNAs in Kidney Diseases

Dear Colleagues,

Patients afflicted with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a high load of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Other kidney diseases, such as acute kidney injury, kidney cancer, polycystic kidney disease, etc., are also a burden worldwide. Biomarkers are often deregulated in kidney diseases even when symptoms are not apparent. Therefore, careful interpretation of biomarkers can provide important diagnostic and prognostic information, including in kidney transplant and dialysis. There is a need for innovative biomarkers, including those related to the epigenetics field, to monitor kidney disorders. This is why we have decided to develop this Special Issue to display the recent progress in the non-coding RNA field. Non-coding RNAs are defined as transcripts that are not translated into protein. An artificial limit of 200 bases distinguishes long non-coding RNAs from small non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), small interfering RNAs, Piwi-interacting RNAs, small nucleolar RNAs, and other short RNAs. For the moment, miRNAs are the most studied non-coding RNAs in pathophysiology, but it is also important to study the other RNA species and to develop gene network and multi-omics technologies in nephrology to better identify non-coding RNAs as biomarkers. These molecules would also be helpful to determine targets for new therapeutic approaches and new prospects in innovative intervention for patients. In this Special Issue, we will deal with the biological, pathological, and clinical relationship of this exciting new class of molecules within the nephrology field, with an emphasis on the gene regulation networks that are deregulated in kidney diseases.

Prof. Dr. Laurent Metzinger
Dr. Juan Antonio Moreno
Dr. Valérie Metzinger-Le Meuth
Guest Editors

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