[en] Various biotypes of endogenous small RNAs (sRNAs) have been detected in human circulation, including microRNAs, transfer RNAs, ribosomal RNA, and yRNA fragments. These extracellular sRNAs (ex-sRNAs) are packaged and secreted by many different cell types. Ex-sRNAs exhibit differences in abundance in several disease states and have, therefore, been proposed for use as effective biomarkers. Furthermore, exosome-borne ex-sRNAs have been reported to elicit physiological responses in acceptor cells. Exogenous ex-sRNAs derived from diet (most prominently from plants) and microorganisms have also been reported in human blood. Essential issues that remain to be conclusively addressed concern the (a) presence and sources of exogenous ex-sRNAs in human bodily fluids, (b) detection and measurement of ex-sRNAs in human circulation, (c) selectivity of ex-sRNA export and import, (d) sensitivity and specificity of ex-sRNA delivery to cellular targets, and (e) cell-, tissue-, organ-, and organism-wide impacts of ex-sRNA-mediated cell-to-cell communication. We survey the present state of knowledge of most of these issues in this review. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Nutrition Volume 36 is July 17, 2016. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/catalog/pubdates.aspx for revised estimates.
Disciplines :
Life sciences: Multidisciplinary, general & others
Author, co-author :
FRITZ, Joëlle ; University of Luxembourg > Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB)
HEINTZ, Anna ; University of Luxembourg > Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB)
Ghosal, Anubrata; Massachusetts Institute of Technology - MIT > Department of Biology
WAMPACH, Linda ; University of Luxembourg > Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB)
Etheridge, Alton; Pacific Northwest Diabetes Research Institute
Galas, David; Pacific Northwest Diabetes Research Institute ; University of Luxembourg > Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine
WILMES, Paul ; University of Luxembourg > Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB)
External co-authors :
yes
Language :
English
Title :
Sources and Functions of Extracellular Small RNAs in Human Circulation.
Publication date :
2016
Journal title :
Annual Review of Nutrition
ISSN :
0199-9885
eISSN :
1545-4312
Publisher :
Annual Reviews, United States - California
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Focus Area :
Systems Biomedicine
FnR Project :
FNR8066232 - Host-microbes Interactions Via Bacterial Extracellular Small Rnas, 2014 (01/04/2015-31/08/2017) - Joelle Fritz
Funders :
FNR - Fonds National de la Recherche US National Institutes of Health