Long non-coding RNA expression in primary human monocytes

• Deep RNA-sequencing of primary human monocytes
• Identification of ~ 8000 long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) across 15 different monocyte samples
• Identification of > 1000 potential novel lincRNAs
• A systematic pipeline to identify lincRNAs
• Validation of a subset of novel lncRNAs across various hematopoietic cells

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to possess a wide range of functions in both cellular and developmental processes including cancers. Although some of the lncRNAs have been implicated in the regulation of the immune response, the exact function of the large majority of lncRNAs still remains unknown. In this study, we characterized the lncRNAs in human primary monocytes, an essential component of the innate immune system. We performed RNA sequencing of monocytes from four individuals and combined our data with eleven other publicly available datasets. Our analysis led to identification of ~ 8000 lncRNAs of which > 1000 have not been previously reported in monocytes. PCR-based validation of a subset of the identified novel long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) revealed distinct expression patterns. Our study provides a landscape of lncRNAs in monocytes, which could facilitate future experimental studies to characterize the functions of these molecules in the innate immune system.