Regulatory miRNAs in Cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Focus on Copper

Abstract

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), are key regulators of differentiation and development. In the cell, transcription factors regulate the production of miRNA in response to different external stimuli. Copper (Cu) is a heavy metal and an essential micronutrient with widespread industrial applications. It is involved in a number of vital biological processes encompassing respiration, blood cell line maturation, and immune responses. In recent years, the link between deregulation of miRNAs’ functionality and the development of various pathologies as well as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) has been extensively studied. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly with a complex disease etiology, and its link with Cu abnormalities is being increasingly studied. A direct interaction between COMMD1, a regulator of the Cu pathway, and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) HIF-1a does exist in ischemic injury, but little information has been collected on the role of Cu in hypoxia associated with AD thus far. The current review deals with this matter in an attempt to structurally discuss the link between miRNA expression and Cu dysregulation in AD and CVDs.

Biomarker profiling to determine clinical impact of microRNAs in cognitive disorders

“…Transcription factors regulate miRNA production in response to external stimuli and are especially active in the brain 75 . Under ischemia and hypoxia, transcription factors inactivate neurons within a few minutes, causing serious brain dysfunction.…”

The association between serum copper concentration and prevalence of diabetes among US adults with hypertension (NHANES 2011–2016)

“…Copper is an essential mineral element for the human body which can participate in physiological processes such as erythropoiesis, immune function and resistance to oxidative stress damage, energy production, glucose metabolism and neuropeptide synthesis 14,15 . However, in recent years, a large number of studies have found that high exposure to copper may be associated with an elevated risk of developing a variety of chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer's disease 16–19 . Notably, the association between copper and diabetes has been widely recognized.…”

“…14,15 However, in recent years, a large number of studies have found that high exposure to copper may be associated with an elevated risk of developing a variety of chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer's disease. [16][17][18][19] Notably, the association between copper and diabetes has been widely recognized. A recent meta-analysis by Qiu et al found that diabetic patients carried higher levels of copper than healthy individuals.…”

Adsorption of Copper Ion from Acidic Wastewater by Local Natural Zeolite

“…Copper (Cu) is essential heavy metal but excess of copper in human body is lifethreatening (Irawati et al, 2019;Irawati & Tahya, 2020Nurlaila et al, 2021). Several studies have indicated that an imbalance in copper levels can contribute to Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular disease (Sacco et al, 2022). Copper is also toxic to amphibians, fish and invertebrates.…”