Articolo in rivista, 2023, ENG, 10.3390/cells12071057

Cracking the Code of Neuronal Cell Fate

Morello G.; La Cognata V.; Guarnaccia M.; D'Agata V.; Cavallaro S.

Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR-IRIB), Catania, 95126, Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR-IRIB), Catania, 95126, Italy, , Italy; Section of Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, 95124, Section of Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, 95124, Italy, , Italy

Transcriptional regulation is fundamental to most biological processes and reverse-engineering programs can be used to decipher the underlying programs. In this review, we describe how genomics is offering a systems biology-based perspective of the intricate and temporally coordinated transcriptional programs that control neuronal apoptosis and survival. In addition to providing a new standpoint in human pathology focused on the regulatory program, cracking the code of neuronal cell fate may offer innovative therapeutic approaches focused on downstream targets and regulatory networks. Similar to computers, where faults often arise from a software bug, neuronal fate may critically depend on its transcription program. Thus, cracking the code of neuronal life or death may help finding a patch for neurodegeneration and cancer.

Cells 12

Keywords

apoptosis, drug repurposing, drug targets, functional enrichment, neurological disease, neurotrophic factors, transcriptional analysis, regulatory network, survival

CNR authors

Morello Giovanna Maria Alessandra, Cavallaro Sebastiano, Guarnaccia Maria, La Cognata Valentina

CNR institutes

IRIB – Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica