A team from University of Toronto Engineering is the first to synthesize long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) outside the cell—a new approach to drug discovery that has already yielded some promising anti-inflammatory molecules. The team was inspired by advances in the field of messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein replacement therapies. They realized that a similar approach could be used to deliver lncRNA to the body, unlocking a potential new source of drugs.

“Only about 25% of our DNA encodes for proteins, including everything from insulin for regulating blood sugar to antibodies for immune defense,” says Professor Omar F. Khan, senior author on a paper published in Science Signaling that describes the new discovery.

“Proteins are made via messenger RNA, or mRNA, which conveys the instructions for how to build proteins from our genes to our ribosomes, the part of our cells where proteins are assembled.”