microRNA-146a-5p, Neurotropic Viral Infection and Prion Disease (PrD)

The human brain and central nervous system (CNS) harbor a select sub-group of potentially pathogenic microRNAs (miRNAs), including a well-characterized NF-kB-sensitive <i>Homo sapiens</i> microRNA hsa-miRNA-146a-5p (miRNA-146a). miRNA-146a is significantly over-expressed in progressive a...

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Main Authors: Aileen I. Pogue, Walter J. Lukiw
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
Series:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/17/9198
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author Aileen I. Pogue
Walter J. Lukiw
author_facet Aileen I. Pogue
Walter J. Lukiw
author_sort Aileen I. Pogue
collection DOAJ
description The human brain and central nervous system (CNS) harbor a select sub-group of potentially pathogenic microRNAs (miRNAs), including a well-characterized NF-kB-sensitive <i>Homo sapiens</i> microRNA hsa-miRNA-146a-5p (miRNA-146a). miRNA-146a is significantly over-expressed in progressive and often lethal viral- and prion-mediated and related neurological syndromes associated with progressive inflammatory neurodegeneration. These include ~18 different viral-induced encephalopathies for which data are available, at least ~10 known prion diseases (PrD) of animals and humans, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other sporadic and progressive age-related neurological disorders. Despite the apparent lack of nucleic acids in prions, both DNA- and RNA-containing viruses along with prions significantly induce miRNA-146a in the infected host, but whether this represents part of the host’s adaptive immunity, innate-immune response or a mechanism to enable the invading prion or virus a successful infection is not well understood. Current findings suggest an early and highly interactive role for miRNA-146a: (<b>i</b>) as a major small noncoding RNA (sncRNA) regulator of innate-immune responses and inflammatory signaling in cells of the human brain and CNS; (<b>ii</b>) as a critical component of the complement system and immune-related neurological dysfunction; (<b>iii</b>) as an inducible sncRNA of the brain and CNS that lies at a critical intersection of several important neurobiological adaptive immune response processes with highly interactive associations involving complement factor H (CFH), Toll-like receptor pathways, the innate-immunity, cytokine production, apoptosis and neural cell decline; and (<b>iv</b>) as a potential biomarker for viral infection, TSE and AD and other neurological diseases in both animals and humans. In this report, we review the recent data supporting the idea that miRNA-146a may represent a novel and unique sncRNA-based biomarker for inflammatory neurodegeneration in multiple species. This paper further reviews the current state of knowledge regarding the nature and mechanism of miRNA-146a in viral and prion infection of the human brain and CNS with reference to AD wherever possible.
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spelling doaj.art-9e217500a32d4d8c89622e5840eb26732023-11-22T10:39:36ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672021-08-012217919810.3390/ijms22179198microRNA-146a-5p, Neurotropic Viral Infection and Prion Disease (PrD)Aileen I. Pogue0Walter J. Lukiw1Alchem Biotech, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, CanadaLSU Neuroscience Center, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USAThe human brain and central nervous system (CNS) harbor a select sub-group of potentially pathogenic microRNAs (miRNAs), including a well-characterized NF-kB-sensitive <i>Homo sapiens</i> microRNA hsa-miRNA-146a-5p (miRNA-146a). miRNA-146a is significantly over-expressed in progressive and often lethal viral- and prion-mediated and related neurological syndromes associated with progressive inflammatory neurodegeneration. These include ~18 different viral-induced encephalopathies for which data are available, at least ~10 known prion diseases (PrD) of animals and humans, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other sporadic and progressive age-related neurological disorders. Despite the apparent lack of nucleic acids in prions, both DNA- and RNA-containing viruses along with prions significantly induce miRNA-146a in the infected host, but whether this represents part of the host’s adaptive immunity, innate-immune response or a mechanism to enable the invading prion or virus a successful infection is not well understood. Current findings suggest an early and highly interactive role for miRNA-146a: (<b>i</b>) as a major small noncoding RNA (sncRNA) regulator of innate-immune responses and inflammatory signaling in cells of the human brain and CNS; (<b>ii</b>) as a critical component of the complement system and immune-related neurological dysfunction; (<b>iii</b>) as an inducible sncRNA of the brain and CNS that lies at a critical intersection of several important neurobiological adaptive immune response processes with highly interactive associations involving complement factor H (CFH), Toll-like receptor pathways, the innate-immunity, cytokine production, apoptosis and neural cell decline; and (<b>iv</b>) as a potential biomarker for viral infection, TSE and AD and other neurological diseases in both animals and humans. In this report, we review the recent data supporting the idea that miRNA-146a may represent a novel and unique sncRNA-based biomarker for inflammatory neurodegeneration in multiple species. This paper further reviews the current state of knowledge regarding the nature and mechanism of miRNA-146a in viral and prion infection of the human brain and CNS with reference to AD wherever possible.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/17/9198agingAlzheimer’s diseasebovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD)Gerstmann–Sträussler–Scheinker syndrome (GSS)microRNA-146a
spellingShingle Aileen I. Pogue
Walter J. Lukiw
microRNA-146a-5p, Neurotropic Viral Infection and Prion Disease (PrD)
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
aging
Alzheimer’s disease
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)
Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD)
Gerstmann–Sträussler–Scheinker syndrome (GSS)
microRNA-146a
title microRNA-146a-5p, Neurotropic Viral Infection and Prion Disease (PrD)
title_full microRNA-146a-5p, Neurotropic Viral Infection and Prion Disease (PrD)
title_fullStr microRNA-146a-5p, Neurotropic Viral Infection and Prion Disease (PrD)
title_full_unstemmed microRNA-146a-5p, Neurotropic Viral Infection and Prion Disease (PrD)
title_short microRNA-146a-5p, Neurotropic Viral Infection and Prion Disease (PrD)
title_sort microrna 146a 5p neurotropic viral infection and prion disease prd
topic aging
Alzheimer’s disease
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)
Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD)
Gerstmann–Sträussler–Scheinker syndrome (GSS)
microRNA-146a
url https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/17/9198
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