Abstract
In the history of nucleic acid research, DNA has always been the main research focus. After the sketch of the human genome was completed in 2000, RNA has been started to gain more attention due to its abundancies in the cell and its essential role in cellular physiology and pathologies. Recent studies have shown that RNAs are susceptible to oxidative damage and oxidized RNA is able to break the RNA strand, and affect the protein synthesis, which can lead to cell degradation and cell death. Studies have shown that RNA oxidation is one of the early events in the formation and development of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, its molecular mechanism, as well as its impact on these diseases, are still unclear. In this article, we review the different types of RNA oxidative damage and the neurodegenerative diseases that are reported to be associated with RNA oxidative damage. In addition, we discuss recent findings on the association between RNA oxidative damage and the development of neurodegenerative diseases, which will have great significance for the development of novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of these diseases.
Highlights
RNA is known to be essential for all living cells and performs many other functions besides protein synthesis
The test found that the oxidative damage of nucleic acid in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients occurs to a large extent in the cytoplasm, and both RNA and mitochondria are oxidation targets. These results indicate that oxidative damage to the cytoplasmic ribonucleic acid of SN neurons in PD patients is increased, and RNA oxidative damage may cause neurodegenerative diseases
With the rapid development of technology, people gradually realize that RNA is more susceptible to oxidative damage, and the oxidative damage of RNA is related to the early development of various neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), PD, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) [7]
Summary
RNA is known to be essential for all living cells and performs many other functions besides protein synthesis. RNA can be a principal target for nucleic acid damage agents. RNA damage may affect cells as a result of any changes in RNA function. Intracellular RNAs suffer from the same oxidative damage as other biological macromolecules such as DNA. RNA damage may have serious adverse effects on RNA chain, protein synthesis, and cell function. RNA is mainly single-stranded and its bases are not protected by hydrogen bonds or specific proteins, so it is more susceptible to oxidative damage than DNA [3]. Increasing research evidence that preventing damaged nucleotides play a role in translation can significantly reduce the harmful effects of oxidative RNA on protein synthesis. An in-depth study on the molecular mechanisms involved in oxidative RNA damage may provide important implications for the pathogenesis and treatment strategies of neurodegenerative disorders and other diseases [7,8]
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