MicroRNAs in glaucoma and neurodegenerative diseases

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute a class of short, non-coding RNAs, which have important role in post-transcriptional regulation of genes expression by base-pairing with their target messenger RNA (mRNA). In recent years, miRNAs biogenesis, gene silencing mechanism and implication in various diseases have been thoroughly investigated. Many scientific findings indicate the altered expression of specific miRNA in the brains of patients affected by neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington disease. The progressive optic nerve neuropathy associated with changed miRNA profile was also observed during glaucoma development. This suggests that the miRNAs may have a crucial role in these disorders, contributing to the neuronal cell death. A better understanding of molecular mechanism of these disorders will open a new potential way of ND treatment. In this review, the miRNAs role in particular neurodegenerative disorders and their possible application in medicine was discussed.

A Genome-Wide Scan for MicroRNA-Related Genetic Variants Associated With Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

“…Several studies 8,9,15 have shown previously the contribution of miRNAs to the pathophysiology of POAG. However, these studies are mainly focused on differentially expressed miRNAs indentified by miRNA profiling in a small number of samples, which makes it difficult to interpret their results to the general population.…”

“…7 There are strong indications that miRNAs play important roles in the pathogenesis of POAG. 8–11 For example, miR-29b and miR-24 are involved in gene regulation in trabecular meshwork cells. 12 Moreover, the miRNA expression levels have been linked to maintaining the balance of the aqueous humor, the change in the trabecular meshwork, and the apoptosis of the retinal ganglion cells.…”

“…13–15 A number of miRNAs (e.g., miR-200c, miR-204, miR-183, and miR-182) are also reported as potential diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets for glaucoma. 9,16 The biogenesis of miRNAs is a multistep coordinated process. 17,18 In the nucleus, miRNA genes are initially transcribed as long primary transcripts.…”

miR-135b Plays a Neuroprotective Role by Targeting GSK3β in MPP+-Intoxicated SH-SY5Y Cells

“…Many scientific findings indicate that dysregulation of some specific miRNAs may be associated with pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases including PD [28]. miR-22 overexpression exhibited neuroprotective and reversal effects on a 6-hydroxydopamine- (6-OHDA-) induced cell model of PD by targeting transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) [29].…”

Role of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and miRNAs in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

“…Interestingly, one miR can regulate up to 30 mRNAs and one mRNA can be regulated by several miRs; then, an alteration of miR expression can regulate several processes. A deregulation of miR expression has been found in several pathologies, including glaucoma, neurodegenerative diseases [94], cardiovascular pathologies [95], metabolic diseases [96] and cancer [97], among others. Since deregulation in miR expression is crucial for cancer development [98,99], the roles of miR in this pathology are divided into two groups: oncomiRs and tumor suppressor miRs [100].…”