REVIEW article
Front. Cell. Neurosci.
Sec. Cellular Neuropathology
This article is part of the Research TopicReviews in Cellular NeuropathologyView all 9 articles
Deciphering the Role of tRNA-Derived Fragments in Neurological and Psychiatric Disease Pathogenesis
Provisionally accepted
- 1Izmir Biyotip ve Genom Merkezi, Izmir, Türkiye
- 2Dokuz Eylul Universitesi Izmir Uluslararasi Biyotip ve Genom Enstitusu, Izmir, Türkiye
- 3Dokuz Eylul Universitesi Saglik Bilimleri Enstitusu, Izmir, Türkiye
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tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) have recently gained attention as important regulatory non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Among these, tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) constitute a distinct and well-defined subset. These small molecules play essential roles in maintaining cellular homeostasis and have been increasingly implicated in disease pathogenesis. This comprehensive review specifically concentrates on tRFs, takes a closer look at their diverse mechanisms of action and their impact on key cellular processes. Specific focus is placed on their functions within the central nervous system (CNS) and their involvement in the molecular pathways driving neurological diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders. Besides their pathological roles, the review covers fundamental aspects of tRFs, including their biogenesis, classification, and structural features. It also describes latest methods for tRFs detection, prediction, and validation. Overall, the review points out the ongoing need for research in this area, especially when it comes to applying these findings clinically. Importantly, it highlights their potential as useful biomarkers and even targets for treatment in neurological diseases.
Keywords: tsRNA, tRFs, Neurological Diseases, biomarkers, SncRNAs
Received: 10 Jul 2025; Accepted: 14 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 KOCAKUSAK, KOK, GENC, KARACICEK and GENC. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Aysu Basak KOK, aysubasak.kok@deu.edu.tr
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