Abstract
Protein aggregation is classically considered the main cause of neuronal death in neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). However, increasing evidence suggests that alteration of RNA metabolism is a key factor in the etiopathogenesis of these complex disorders. Non-coding RNAs are the major contributor to the human transcriptome and are particularly abundant in the central nervous system, where they have been proposed to be involved in the onset and development of NDDs. Interestingly, some ncRNAs (such as lncRNAs, circRNAs and pseudogenes) share a common functionality in their ability to regulate gene expression by modulating miRNAs in a phenomenon known as the competing endogenous RNA mechanism. Moreover, ncRNAs are found in body fluids where their presence and concentration could serve as potential non-invasive biomarkers of NDDs. In this review, we summarize the ceRNA networks described in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinocerebellar ataxia type 7, and discuss their potential as biomarkers of these NDDs. Although numerous studies have been carried out, further research is needed to validate these complex interactions between RNAs and the alterations in RNA editing that could provide specific ceRNET profiles for neurodegenerative disorders, paving the way to a better understanding of these diseases.
Highlights
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are of increasing relevance in public health due to the aging of the global population
Non-coding RNAs are the major contributor to the human transcriptome and are abundant in the central nervous system, where they have been proposed to be involved in the onset and development of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs)
Protein aggregation is a common hallmark for these disorders, there is growing evidence that alterations in RNA metabolism contribute to the etiopathogenesis of NDDs [1,2,3]
Summary
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are of increasing relevance in public health due to the aging of the global population. The main search terms included neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, AD, Parkinson’s disease, PD, multiple sclerosis, MS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS or spinocerebellar ataxia type 7, combined with competing endogenous RNA, ceRNA, long non-coding RNA, lncRNA, circular RNA, circRNA, pseudogene or miRNA. Since this is a relatively new research topic, no filter for the years was applied. Consequences of AD at cellular level include deregulation of redox homeostasis and low-grade chronic inflammation [120]
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