Molecules produced by cells in response to stress may be indicators of various diseases

The body's ability to cope with a variety of stressors is critical to maintaining health, and the failure of this adaptive stress response can trigger or worsen many diseases

"RNA molecules have long been thought of as messengers between DNA (the genetic code) and proteins (the cell's functional molecules); however, over the past decade, researchers have discovered new functions for RNAs that cannot be converted into proteins -- so-called noncoding RNAs," said senior author Saumya Das, Ph.

Das notes that there are a growing number of noncoding RNAs with different functions, and among these, a new type of RNA is discovered from so-called transfer RNAs, whose function is usually to help synthesize proteins from traditional messenger RNAs

By studying various human and rat cells under three stressors -- nutrient deprivation, hypoxia, and oxidative stress -- that are frequently present in many disease states, Das and colleagues A comprehensive analysis of intracellular and extracellular tDRs was performed in different stress responses

"While TDRs play an important role in cellular function, we also found that TDRs are released by cells and that they may act as markers of cellular stress in different diseases," said Dr.

The team created a stress signaling map of cellular and extracellular tDRs that can be used not only as an indicator of disease, but also as a starting point for scientists interested in studying the role of different tDRs in cancer, fibrosis, and other diseases

Journal Reference :

1. Guoping Li, Aidan C.