MicroRNAs as Potential Biomarkers for Early Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis and Therapeutic Intervention

At present, researchers are exploring the use of biofluid-derived markers as potential biomarkers for early-stage and pre-clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD, as previously mentioned, is the most common and progressive form of dementia. Therefore, current studies have focused on investigating the involvement of miRNAs in AD. It has been reported that several miRNAs, which regulate proteins associated with AD in the brain, are dysregulated. These miRNAs play a critical role in synaptic development and physiology by targeting gene networks in the brain. By quantifying miRNA levels in peripheral blood, individuals with late-stage AD can be identified and compared to those in the early stages of the disease. This approach can help identify potential biomarkers and facilitate early prognosis of AD. Numerous studies have shown that abnormal regulation of miRNAs is the key factor underlying pathological events in diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), multiple sclerosis (MS), and AD. Therefore, miRNAs could serve as powerful biomarkers for diagnosing AD (Müller et al., 2016). Most miRNAs can migrate outside cells, circulate in the peripheral blood, bind to RNA-binding proteins, and be encapsulated within exosomes, which protect them from degradation by endogenous ribonuclease (RNase) activity. Several investigations have demonstrated that miRNAs specific to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) could effectively distinguish between confirmed AD and neurologically normal cells. Ultimately, miRNAs offer an opportunity to study the underlying mechanisms of AD etiology and can be a standard approach for developing personalized patient profiles associated with the disease and its therapeutic interventions.