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Abstract

The discovery of regulatory noncoding RNA molecules (ncRNA) revolutionized our previous understanding of gene expression. As shown by extensive sequencing projects from earlier times, ncRNA occurs in the human transcriptome in a previously unforeseen number and diversity, whereas mRNA coding for proteins only makes up a small proportion of the human transcriptome. In addition to structurally important ncRNA, tens of thousands of regulatory ncRNAs were identified in humans, of which microRNAs, long noncoding RNAs and the recently discovered circular RNAs are important groups. Members of this joint project have already contributed essential knowledge on the role, the mechanisms and the target structures of ncRNAs in the cardiovascular (CV) system. Furthermore, they have shown the feasibility of treatment based on the manipulation of ncRNA in cardiovascular diseases. Although a fascinating new field of research has opened up with ncRNAs, the enormous number of RNA transcripts, their different mechanisms of action and the complex methods necessary for their investigation represent major challenges. The tasks are now 1) to determine those ncRNAs which are essential for the development and homeostasis as well as the development and progression of diseases in the cardiovascular system and 2) to mechanistically understand their mode of functioning, with the aim to derive target structures and their manipulation to develop urgently needed new therapies.