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Circulating MicroRNA Profile Associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Alzheimer's Disease

A Targa1,2, F Dakterzada3, I D Benítez1,2

  • 1Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine, Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova-Santa Maria, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain.

Molecular Neurobiology
|July 29, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea in Alzheimer's patients is difficult. Researchers found a plasma microRNA signature that may help identify sleep apnea in Alzheimer's disease patients.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Genomics
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients is challenging due to patient cooperation limitations with polysomnography (PSG) and low utility of screening questionnaires.
  • Identifying reliable biomarkers for OSA in AD is crucial for timely intervention and management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the circulating microRNA (miRNA) profile associated with OSA in a cohort of female patients with mild-moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 29 female AD patients underwent overnight polysomnography (PSG) for OSA diagnosis.
  • Plasma samples were collected post-PSG, and miRNA profiles were analyzed using RT-qPCR.
  • A prediction model was developed using differentially expressed miRNAs correlated with OSA severity.

Main Results:

  • Fifteen miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed between OSA and non-OSA patients.
  • Ten of these miRNAs significantly correlated with OSA severity.
  • A 5-miRNA signature (miR-26a-5p, miR-30a-3p, miR-374a-5p, miR-377-3p, miR-545-3p) achieved an AUC of 0.95 for predicting OSA in AD patients.

Conclusions:

  • A distinct plasma miRNA signature is associated with the presence and severity of OSA in individuals with Alzheimer's disease.
  • These preliminary findings suggest potential for non-invasive biomarkers for OSA diagnosis in AD.
  • Further validation studies are required to confirm these miRNA biomarkers.
Keywords:
Alzheimer’s diseaseBiomarkersObstructive sleep apneamiRNAs

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