Emerging roles of microRNAs and other non-coding transcriptome in muscular dystrophies

Muscular dystrophies (MDs) are a set of neuromuscular diseases characterized by progressive muscle weakness and wasting. Their pathophysiology entails several aberrant genetic pathways including the perturbation of microRNA (miRNA) and other non-coding RNA (ncRNA) levels and functions, and the subsequent dysregulation of their downstream targets. In healthy tissue, ncRNAs exert their influence by fine-tuning physiological mechanisms. However, in dystrophic conditions, these ncRNAs become involved in modulation of pathological mechanisms. The main pathomechanism themes that involve ncRNAs and proteins in MD are myogenesis insufficiency, structural instability, destructive pathways, and signaling failure. This review attempts to delineate all the major contributory ncRNAs, particularly miRNAs, as well as their associated proteins involved in disease initiation, maintenance, and outcomes across the spectrum of MD subtypes.