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Identification of Circular RNAs using RNA Sequencing
08:25

Identification of Circular RNAs using RNA Sequencing

Published on: November 14, 2019

12.7K

Uncovering the new landscape of leukoaraiosis through the circular RNA-miRNA-mRNA axis

Canmin Zhu1, Chang Chang1, Qiangjian Jin1

  • 1Department of Neurology, The First People's Hospital of Jiangxia District, Wuhan, Hubei, China.

Frontiers in Neurology
|November 20, 2025
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Circular RNA hsa_circ_0018401 is elevated in white matter injury (WMI) and regulates the miR-145-5p/AIFM1 axis. This finding offers a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for WMI.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • White matter disease, characterized by oligodendrocyte progenitor cell loss, is linked to poor outcomes in leukoaraiosis (LA) patients.
  • The regulatory roles of circ-RNA/miRNA/mRNA in brain disorders are known, but their specific mechanisms in white matter injury (WMI) are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the involvement of the hsa_circ_0018401/miR-145-5p/AIFM1 axis in white matter injury.
  • To explore the potential of circ-0018401 as a biomarker and therapeutic target for WMI.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and bioinformatics tools were used to analyze whole blood samples from LA patients.
  • Luciferase gene assays and qRT-PCR confirmed the interaction between circ-0018401, miR-145-5p, and AIFM1 in primary oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and HEK-293T cells.
  • Western blotting analyzed AIFM1 expression in OPCs overexpressing miR-145-5p.

Main Results:

  • Elevated circ-0018401 levels were detected in the whole blood of WMI patients.
  • Overexpression of circ-0018401 led to decreased miR-145-5p levels in OPCs, with verified binding between circ-0018401 and miR-145-5p.
  • The apoptotic gene AIFM1 was identified as a downstream target of miR-145-5p.

Conclusions:

  • Hsa_circ_0018401 functions as a key regulator of the miR-145-5p/AIFM1 axis in white matter injury.
  • This axis represents a promising avenue for developing novel therapeutic strategies for WMI.
Keywords:
circRNAinteractionleukoaraiosismRNAmiRNA

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