# The Emerging Roles of GlycoRNAs in the Pathogenesis of Sepsis

## TL;DR

This paper explores how glycosylated RNAs (glycoRNAs) may contribute to sepsis, a severe immune response to infection, and highlights their potential as new therapeutic targets.

## Contribution

The paper introduces glycoRNAs as a novel class of molecules involved in sepsis pathogenesis and immune regulation.

## Key findings

- GlycoRNAs are highly expressed in immune cells and regulate immune responses such as cell adhesion and activation.
- GlycoRNAs are present on epithelial cell surfaces, potentially functioning as barriers against pathogens.
- GlycoRNAs may play a critical role in the progression and immune phases of sepsis.

## Abstract

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition caused by a dysregulated host immune response to infection, leading to systemic inflammation, organ dysfunction, and potentially death. Despite significant advances in understanding the pathophysiology of sepsis, effective therapeutic options remain limited, and mortality rates remain unacceptably high. Therefore, a deeper understanding of sepsis pathogenesis and the identification of novel therapeutic targets are urgently needed to improve patient outcomes. Recent studies have revealed that RNAs can undergo glycosylation, generating a previously unrecognized class of molecules known as glycosylated RNAs (glycoRNAs), which are localized on the outer surface of cells. GlycoRNAs are highly expressed in immune cells, and accumulating evidence indicates that they play important roles in regulating immune responses, including immune cell adhesion and infiltration, immune cell activation, and immune evasion. In addition, glycoRNAs are abundantly expressed on the epithelial cell surfaces of the respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems, suggesting that glycoRNAs may function as a component of epithelial barriers that protect against pathogenic invasion. Collectively, these findings suggest that glycoRNAs may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of sepsis. This review summarizes the expression and functions of glycoRNAs in immune and barrier systems and highlights their potential roles during distinct immunological phases of sepsis.