Pharmacogenomics of the RNA World: Structural RNA Polymorphisms in Drug Therapy

The use of pharmacogenomic biomarkers can enhance treatment outcomes. Regulatory polymorphisms are promising biomarkers that have proven difficult to uncover. They come in two flavors: those that affect transcription (regulatory single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rSNPs)) and those that affect RNA functions such as splicing, turnover, and translation (termed structural RNA SNPs (srSNPs)). This review focuses on the role of srSNPs in drug metabolism, transport, and response. An understanding of the nature and diversity of srSNPs and rSNPs enables clinical scientists to evaluate genetic biomarkers.