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Updated: Oct 30, 2025

Author Spotlight: Insight Into Advances in Prion Diseases Research
10:40

Author Spotlight: Insight Into Advances in Prion Diseases Research

Published on: August 11, 2023

630

MicroRNAs in Prion Diseases-From Molecular Mechanisms to Insights in Translational Medicine

Danyel Fernandes Contiliani1,2, Yasmin de Araújo Ribeiro1,2, Vitor Nolasco de Moraes1,2

  • 1Graduate Program of Genetics, Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, Ribeirao Preto 3900, Brazil.

Cells
|July 2, 2021
PubMed

Insights

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and prions interact in neurodegenerative diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Understanding this connection may lead to new miRNA-based diagnostics and therapies for prion disorders.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders caused by misfolded prion proteins.
  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs regulating gene expression post-transcriptionally.
  • Classical human prion diseases include CJD, FFI, GSS, and kuru.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the relationship between miRNAs and prions in neurodegenerative conditions.
  • To explore how miRNA-prion interactions influence disease susceptibility, onset, progression, and pathology.
  • To discuss the role of miRNAs in prion-like disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on miRNAs and prion diseases.
  • Analysis of miRNA regulation in prion pathogenesis.
  • Exploration of potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications of miRNAs.

Main Results:

  • MiRNAs are implicated in the pathogenesis of prion diseases.
  • Dysregulated miRNAs are associated with prion disease progression and pathology.
  • MiRNA-prion interactions offer insights into disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.

Conclusions:

  • MiRNA-prion interactions are crucial for understanding neurodegeneration.
  • MiRNAs hold promise as biomarkers for non-invasive diagnostics of prion diseases.
  • MiRNA-based therapies represent a potential strategy to treat challenging prion disorders.
Keywords:
RNAimiRNA-based diagnosticsmiRNA-based therapeuticsmicroRNAneurodegenerativeprion diseasescrapie

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