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PiRNA pathway in the cardiovascular system: a novel regulator of cardiac differentiation, repair and regeneration

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Abstract

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a novel group of small non-coding RNA molecules with lengths of 21–35 nucleotides, first identified from the germline. PiRNAs and their associated PIWI clade Argonaute proteins constitute a key part of the piRNA pathway, with the best-known biological function to silence transposable elements in germ cells. The piRNA pathway, in fact, is not exclusive to the germline. Somatic functions of piRNAs have been recorded since their first discovery. To date, involvement of the piRNA pathway has been identified within the biological functions of genome rearrangement, epigenetic regulation, protein regulation in the germline and/or the soma transcriptionally or post-transcriptionally. Emerging evidence has shown that the piRNA pathway is essential for the normal function of the cardiovascular system and that its abnormal expression is correlated with cardiovascular dysfunction, although comprehensive roles of the piRNA pathway in the cardiovascular system and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this review, we discuss current findings of piRNA pathway expression in cardiac cell types and their potential functions in cardiac differentiation, repair and regeneration, thus providing new insights into cardiovascular disease development associated with the piRNA pathway.

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  1. Xiamen Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital Xiamen University, Xiamen, China

    Yuling Zhou, Cuilian Dai & Yan Wang

  2. The School of Economics, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China

    Yuling Zhou

  3. School of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of Fujian Province University, Xiamen University, Xiang’an South Road, Xiang’an District, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, China

    Ya Fang

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YZ researched the published data and contributed to writing of this manuscript draft; YF improved the structure of this work and contributed to the final manuscript draft; CD was involved in the original idea formation of this literature review, as well as manuscript draft polishing; YW conceived the original idea to summarize piRNAs in the cardiovascular system and contributed significantly to the final manuscript draft.

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Zhou, Y., Fang, Y., Dai, C. et al. PiRNA pathway in the cardiovascular system: a novel regulator of cardiac differentiation, repair and regeneration. J Mol Med 99, 1681–1690 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00109-021-02132-9

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