Long non-coding RNAs: A new frontier in the study of human diseases

• With the development of genome and transcriptome sequencing technologies, lncRNAs have received increased attention.
• LncRNAs regulate gene expression in many ways, including epigenetics, transcription and post-transcriptional processing.
• In this review we highlight the specific mechanistic roles of lncRNAs in human diseases.

With the development of whole genome and transcriptome sequencing technologies, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have received increased attention. Multiple studies indicate that lncRNAs act not only as the intermediary between DNA and protein but also as important protagonists of cellular functions. LncRNAs can regulate gene expression in many ways, including chromosome remodeling, transcription and post-transcriptional processing. Moreover, the dysregulation of lncRNAs has increasingly been linked to many human diseases, especially in cancers. Here, we reviewed the rapidly advancing field of lncRNAs and described the relationship between the dysregulation of lncRNAs and human diseases, highlighting the specific roles of lncRNAs in human diseases.