Non-coding RNAs in cerebral cavernous malformation: Regulatory roles and therapeutic implication.

Cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) is a vascular lesion of the central nervous system. CCM lesions involve multiple pathological processes including cell junction disruption, inflammation and immune dysregulation, and are modulated by several signaling pathways such as MEKK and PI3K. A subset of CCM cases also presents with genetic susceptibility. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are transcripts that regulate gene expression and protein function, including microRNAs (miRNAs), small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). They are generated from the non-protein-coding portions of the genome, exert diverse roles in angiogenesis and neuroprotection, and are regarded as tools for the treatment, diagnosis, and prognosis of cerebrovascular diseases. The regulation of CCM pathological processes by ncRNAs has revealed novel mechanisms of CCM lesions and new therapeutic targets. This review summarizes the currently known regulatory roles of ncRNAs in CCM lesions and discusses the potential therapeutic strategies mediated by ncRNAs.