The Role of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Skeletal Muscle Pathophysiology: A Therapeutic Perspective

Skeletal muscle, one of the largest organs in mammals, plays a pivotal role in regulating body temperature, metabolism, and movement. It is a versatile tissue that can undergo degeneration due to various factors such as disease, aging, or cancer, posing challenges to cancer therapy. Conversely, it possesses the remarkable ability to regenerate. Skeletal muscle is composed of both mononucleated cells, each with distinct functions during degeneration and regeneration, and multinucleated cells called myofibers. Recently, it was demonstrated that the transcription of mammalian cells is pervasive, highlighting the importance of junk DNA. It frequently codes for non-coding RNAs that have gained increasing importance in the pathophysiology of all tissues over the past two decades. Following the advent of COVID-19 vaccines, RNA has assumed a greater significance in therapeutic applications. In this manuscript, we will explore the impact of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) on muscle degeneration and regeneration and investigate their potential therapeutic applications.