Revisiting the Relationship Between Alzheimer's Disease and Cancer With a circRNA Perspective

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Genomics
• Oncology

Background:

• Growing evidence links Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cancer development.
• The role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in the shared pathogenesis of AD and cancer remains largely unknown.
• This study aimed to explore the circRNA relationship between AD and cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify shared dysregulated circRNAs in Alzheimer's disease and 28 cancer types.
• To construct a circRNA-microRNA (miRNA)-messenger RNA (mRNA) regulatory network.
• To elucidate common molecular pathways and potential therapeutic targets.

Main Methods:

• Examined circRNAs dysregulated in AD across 28 cancer types.
• Constructed a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network using experimentally identified interactions.
• Performed Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway analysis on circRNA-regulated genes.

Main Results:

• Identified inverse expression correlations for specific circRNAs in certain cancers (e.g., acute myeloid leukemia, renal cell carcinoma).
• CircRNAs associated with AD diagnosis and severity showed negative correlations in multiple cancer types.
• Pathway analysis revealed significant associations with interleukin-12-mediated signaling and viral response, with CircPICALM, circRTN4, and circMAN2A1 as key network hubs.

Conclusions:

• Inflammation signaling is implicated as a common pathogenic mechanism in AD and cancer.
• Novel insights into circRNA involvement in the co-pathogenesis of AD and cancer were provided.
• Identified potential circRNA-based therapeutic strategies for both diseases.