title: MicroRNAs in brain cholesterol metabolism and their implications for Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Cholesterol is important for various neuronal functions in the brain. Brain has elaborate regulatory mechanisms to control cholesterol metabolism that are distinct from the mechanisms in periphery. Interestingly, dysregulation of the cholesterol metabolism is strongly associated with a number of neurodegenerative diseases. MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNAs acting as post-transcriptional gene regulators. Recently, several microRNAs are demonstrated to be involved in regulating cholesterol metabolism in the brain. This article reviews the regulatory mechanisms of cellular cholesterol homeostasis in the brain. In addition, we discuss the role of microRNAs in brain cholesterol metabolism and their potential implications for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. This article is part of a special issue entitled: MicroRNAs and lipid/energy metabolism and related diseases edited by Carlos Fernández-Hernando and Yajaira Suárez.
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Graduate School, Jacksonville, FL, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States.
authors.forename: Hyejin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Mayo Graduate School, Jacksonville, FL, United States.
authors.forename: Luis F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Graduate School, Jacksonville, FL, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States. Electronic address: kim.jungsu@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Jungsu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Central nervous system; Cholesterol metabolism; Lipid metabolism; MicroRNA