title: Global microRNA expression profiling of Caenorhabditis elegans Parkinson's disease models.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in human brain development and maintenance. To search for miRNAs that may be involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinsons disease (PD), we utilized miRNA microarrays to identify potential gene expression changes in 115 annotated miRNAs in PD-associated Caenorhabditis elegans models that either overexpress human A53T alpha-synuclein or have mutations within the vesicular catecholamine transporter (cat-1) or parkin (pdr-1) ortholog. Here, we show that 12 specific miRNAs are differentially regulated in the animals overexpressing alpha-synuclein, five in cat-1, and three in the pdr-1 mutants. The family of miR-64 and miR-65 are co-underexpressed in the alpha-synuclein transgenic and cat-1 strains, and members of let-7 family co-underexpressed in the alpha-synuclein and pdr-1 strains; mdl-1 and ptc-1 genes are target candidates for miR-64 and miR-65 and are overexpressed in alpha-synuclein transgenic as well as miR-64/65 (tm3711) knockout animals. These results indicate that miRNAs are differentially expressed in C. elegans PD models and suggest a role for these molecules in disease pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, Kuopio University, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Suvi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asikainen
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rudgalvyte
authors.forename: Liisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heikkinen
authors.forename: Kristiina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Louhiranta
authors.forename: Merja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lakso
authors.forename: Garry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nass
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D035683:MicroRNAs