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Review
. 2019 Nov 30;20(23):6055.
doi: 10.3390/ijms20236055.

Interplay between MicroRNAs and Oxidative Stress in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Julia Konovalova  1 , Dmytro Gerasymchuk  1   2 , Ilmari Parkkinen  1 , Piotr Chmielarz  3 , Andrii Domanskyi  1
Affiliations
Free PMC article
Review

Interplay between MicroRNAs and Oxidative Stress in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Julia Konovalova et al. Int J Mol Sci. .
Free PMC article

Abstract

MicroRNAs are post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, crucial for neuronal differentiation, survival, and activity. Age-related dysregulation of microRNA biogenesis increases neuronal vulnerability to cellular stress and may contribute to the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. All major neurodegenerative disorders are also associated with oxidative stress, which is widely recognized as a potential target for protective therapies. Albeit often considered separately, microRNA networks and oxidative stress are inextricably entwined in neurodegenerative processes. Oxidative stress affects expression levels of multiple microRNAs and, conversely, microRNAs regulate many genes involved in an oxidative stress response. Both oxidative stress and microRNA regulatory networks also influence other processes linked to neurodegeneration, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, deregulation of proteostasis, and increased neuroinflammation, which ultimately lead to neuronal death. Modulating the levels of a relatively small number of microRNAs may therefore alleviate pathological oxidative damage and have neuroprotective activity. Here, we review the role of individual microRNAs in oxidative stress and related pathways in four neurodegenerative conditions: Alzheimer's (AD), Parkinson's (PD), Huntington's (HD) disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We also discuss the problems associated with the use of oversimplified cellular models and highlight perspectives of studying microRNA regulation and oxidative stress in human stem cell-derived neurons.

Keywords: ALS; Alzheimer’s disease; Huntington’s disease; Parkinson’s disease; ROS; microRNA; neurodegeneration; oxidative stress; translation regulation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
MicroRNAs implicated in oxidative stress-related cellular pathways in Alzheimer’s disease.
Figure 2
Figure 2
MicroRNAs implicated in oxidative stress-related cellular pathways in Parkinson’s disease.
Figure 3
Figure 3
MicroRNAs implicated in oxidative stress-related cellular pathways in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (AMS).
Figure 4
Figure 4
MicroRNAs implicated in oxidative stress-related cellular pathways in Huntington’s Disease.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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