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Published on: August 10, 2018
Systematic review and meta-analysis on microRNAs in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Hua Liu1, Shan Lan2, Xiao-Jie Shi1
1Key Laboratory of Ethnomedicine for Ministry of Education, Center for Translational Neuroscience, school of pharmacy, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) exhibit a crucial role in the pathogenesis and progress of neurodegenerative disorders. Recent studies have shown abnormal levels of miRNA expression in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Clinical data also confirmed that miRNAs in these patients are inconsistent across studies. A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of current studies can help recognize the important roles of miRNAs during ALS development. Therefore, we initially aimed to perform a systematic literature review on the muscle or serum miRNAs in patients with ALS and healthy individuals. Subsequently, we quantitatively summarized the clinical data of muscle or serum miRNA of patients with ALS and healthy individuals using a meta-analytical technique. 11 studies comprising 281 patients with ALS and 244 healthy control (HC) controls were identified from PubMed and Web of Science for meta-analysis. A systematic review revealed that miRNA levels are closely associated with the occurrence of ALS disease. The expression levels of the most relevant miRNAs were either increased or decreased. The random-effects meta-analysis indicated that the levels of miR-206, miR-133b, and miR-338-3p were significantly elevated in patients with ALS than in HC subjects. By contrast, there was no significant differences in the miR-133a levels between patients with ALS and HC subjects. Collectively, our outcomes demonstrated that serum miR-206, miR-133b, and miR-338-3p were significantly increased in patients with ALS. We speculated that the increased expression levels of miR-206, miR-133b and miR-338-3p are potential promising biomarkers for ALS.
Insights
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key in neurodegenerative diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This study found elevated serum miR-206, miR-133b, and miR-338-3p in ALS patients, suggesting they are potential biomarkers.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in neurodegenerative disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
- Expression levels of miRNAs in ALS patients show inconsistencies across studies, necessitating a comprehensive analysis.
- Identifying reliable biomarkers is crucial for understanding ALS pathogenesis and progression.
Approach:
- Conducted a systematic literature review of muscle or serum miRNAs in ALS patients and healthy controls (HC).
- Performed a meta-analysis on 11 studies (281 ALS patients, 244 HC) identified from PubMed and Web of Science.
- Quantitatively summarized clinical data on miRNA expression levels.
Key Points:
- Systematic review confirmed a close association between miRNA levels and ALS occurrence.
- Meta-analysis revealed significantly elevated levels of miR-206, miR-133b, and miR-338-3p in ALS patients compared to HC.
- No significant difference in miR-133a levels was observed between ALS patients and HC subjects.
Conclusions:
- Serum miR-206, miR-133b, and miR-338-3p are significantly increased in patients with ALS.
- These elevated miRNAs represent potential promising biomarkers for the diagnosis and monitoring of ALS.
- Further research is warranted to validate these findings and explore their therapeutic implications.
