Circulating long noncodingRNAs in Mild Cognitive Impairment patients’ blood

Abstract

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) generally signifies a transitional clinical stage prior to dementia. Cognitive working is a dynamic process where both functional decline and functional improvement are mutual. Patients with amnestic MCI have a high risk to progress toward Alzheimer’s disease. Both amnestic mild cognitive impairment and sporadic Alzheimer’s disease are multifactorial disorders consequential from a multifaceted cross-talk among molecular and biological processes. Non-coding RNAs play an important role in the regulation of gene expression, mainly long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), that regulate other RNA transcripts through binding microRNAs. Cross-talk between RNAs, including coding RNAs and non-coding RNAs, produces a significant regulatory network all through the transcriptome. The relationship of genes and non-codingRNAscould improve the knowledge of the genetic factors contributing to the predisposition and pathophysiology of MCI. The objective of this study was to identify the expression patterns and relevant lncRNA-associated miRNA regulatory axes in blood of MCI patients, which includes lncRNA- HAR1A, lncRNA- HAR1B, lncRNA-MEG9, lncRNA-ST7-AS1, and lncRNA-TUNAR. Microarray investigations have demonstrated modifications in the expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) in blood of patients with MCI compared with control samples. This is the first study to explore lncRNA profiles in Mild Cognitive Impairment blood. Our study proposals RNAs targets involved in molecular pathways connected to the pathogenesis of MCI.