Undervalued and novel roles of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins in autoimmune diseases: Resurgence as potential biomarkers and targets

Autoimmune diseases are mainly characterized by the abnormal autoreactivity due to the loss of tolerance to specific autoantigens, though multiple pathways associated with the homeostasis of immune responses are involved in initiating or aggravating the conditions. The heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) are a major category of RNA-binding proteins ubiquitously expressed in a multitude of cells and have attracted great attentions especially with their distinctive roles in nucleic acid metabolisms and the pathogenesis in diseases like neurodegenerative disorders and cancers. Nevertheless, the interplay between hnRNPs and autoimmune disorders has not been fully elucidated. Virtually various family members of hnRNPs are increasingly identified as immune players and are pertinent to all kinds of immune-related processes including immune system development and innate or adaptive immune responses. Specifically, hnRNPs have been extensively recognized as autoantigens within and even beyond a myriad of autoimmune diseases, yet their diagnostic and prognostic values are seemingly underestimated. Molecular mimicry, epitope spreading and bystander activation may represent major putative mechanisms underlying the presence of autoantibodies to hnRNPs. Besides, hnRNPs play critical parts in regulating linchpin genes expressions that control genetic susceptibility, disease-linked functional pathways, or immune responses by interacting with other components particularly like microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs, thereby contributing to inflammation and autoimmunity as well as specific disease phenotypes. Therefore, comprehensive unraveling of the roles of hnRNPs is conducive to establishing potential biomarkers and developing better intervention strategies by targeting these hnRNPs in the corresponding disorders. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Interactions: Functional Implications.