The formation of proteins for our body is essential for the proper functioning of the system. Therefore, the molecules that form them are just as important. They are called ribonucleic acid, or RNA. In addition to synthesizing proteins, RNAs are capable of diagnosing ischemic stroke, according to research.
Ischemic stroke occurs when an artery is blocked, which prevents the passage of oxygen to brain cells, which eventually die. “It is one of the main causes of mortality and disability worldwide”, analyzes Victor Hugo Espíndola, neurosurgeon and stroke specialist, who was not a participant in the study.
The research, carried out by neurosurgeons at the RUDN University, in Moscow, Russia, finds that one of the non-coding RNAs, called NEAT 1 (nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1) was the most promising for the diagnosis and treatment of ischemic stroke.
Non-coding ribonucleic acid is different in that it does not synthesize protein. It acts in gene maintenance and regulation, as well as in cell signaling and differentiation, crucial events for embryonic and ontogenetic development.
“The study gives us hope. Because we are experiencing a stroke epidemic and with science we can diagnose it early and treat it in a specific, effective and individualized way”, says Espíndola, adding that the research is initial and there is still room to develop.
The results, published in Non-coding RNA Research, allow, according to the neurosurgeon, to change the quality of life and the routine of people who have been or may be affected by a stroke.
“Our analysis provides insight into the current position of non-coding RNAs in the therapy and diagnosis of ischemic stroke. Different RNAs are expressed differently in ischemic stroke, and some of them can be considered as therapeutic targets and biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis,” says Ilgiz Gareev, senior researcher at the Institute of Neurosurgery, RUDN University, co-author of the study.
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