Title:A Comprehensive Study of miRNAs in Parkinson’s Disease: Diagnostics
and Therapeutic Approaches
Volume: 22
Issue: 3
Author(s): Saima Owais and Yasir Hasan Siddique*
Affiliation:
- Drosophila Transgenic Laboratory, Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh
Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
Keywords:
Parkinson’s disease, alpha-synuclein, lewy bodies, micrornas, animal models, fibrillar alpha-synuclein.
Abstract: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most debilitating neurodegenerative movement
disorder. It is characterized by the presence of fibrillar alpha-synuclein amassed in the neurons,
known as Lewy bodies. Certain cellular and molecular events are involved, leading to the degeneration
of dopaminergic neurons. However, the origin and implication of such events are still uncertain.
Nevertheless, the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) as important biomarkers and therapeutic
molecules is unquestionable. The most challenging task by far in PD treatment has been its late diagnosis
followed by therapeutics. miRNAs are an emerging hope to meet the need of early diagnosis,
thereby promising an improved movement symptom and prolonged life of the patients. The
continuous efforts in discovering the role of miRNAs could be made possible by the utilisation of
various animal models of PD. These models help us understand insights into the mechanism of the
disease. Moreover, miRNAs have been surfaced as therapeutically important molecules with distinct
delivery systems enhancing their success rate. This review aims at providing an outline of different
miRNAs implicated in either PD-associated gene regulation or involved in therapeutics.