Long noncoding RNAs and Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are typically defined as transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides. lncRNAs can regulate gene expression at epigenetic, transcriptional, and posttranscriptional levels. Recent studies have shown that lncRNAs are involved in many neurological diseases such as epilepsy, neurodegenerative conditions, and genetic disorders. Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease, which accounts for >80% of dementia in elderly subjects. In this review, we will highlight recent studies investigating the role of lncRNAs in Alzheimer's disease and focus on some specific lncRNAs that may underlie Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology and therefore could be potential therapeutic targets.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; BACE1; BACE1-AS; BC200; amyloid β peptide; lncRNA; ncRNAs.

Figure 1

Dysregulated lncRNAs in AD. Notes: BACE1-AS, 17A, 51A, and NDM29 directly or indirectly increase Aβ formation and/or the Aβx-42/Aβx-40 ratio. BC200 modulates local protein synthesis to maintain long-term synaptic plasticity. NAT-Rad18 is implicated in apoptosis. The arrows next to Aβ indicates up/down expression. Abbreviations: Aβ, amyloid β peptide; AD, Alzheimer’s disease; BACE1, β-site APP cleaving enzyme-1; BC200, brain cytoplasmic 200 RNA; eIF4A, eukaryotic initiation factor 4A; lncRNAs, long noncoding RNAs; NDM29, neuroblastoma differentiation marker 29; SORL1, sortilin-related receptor gene; mRNA, messenger RNA.