title: miR-124 regulates cell apoptosis and autophagy in dopaminergic neurons and protects them by regulating AMPK/mTOR pathway in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: The important roles of miR-124 in the development and progression of various diseases are being increasing recognized. This study was aimed to investigate the potential roles of miR-124 in dopaminergic (DA) neuronal apoptosis and autophagy in Parkinson's disease (PD) and to explore their mechanisms. Human SH-SY5Y cells that are treated with MPTP were transfected with mature miR-124 vector and control empty vector. The effect of MPTP on miR-124 mRNA level was analyzed using RT-PCR analysis. Furthermore, the effects of miR-124 expression on neuronal apoptosis and autophagy, as well as the expression of proteins in the AMPK/mTOR pathway, were analyzed using RT-PCR and western blotting. This study found that miR-124 was down-regulated in the MPTP-treated (100 μM) neurons, and miR-124 suppression significantly increased cell apoptosis and induced autophagy-associated protein expression, including that of Beclin 1 and increased the ratio of LC3 II/LC3 I compared with that in controls. In addition, in vitro rescue of miR-124 significantly decreased the percentage of apoptotic cells and the ratio of LC3 II/LC3 I, findings that were approximately equal to the controls. Moreover, miR-124 suppression increased p-AMPK but decreased p-mTOR levels in neurons. Our study suggested that miR-124 functions as a protector of DA neurons during PD through the involvement of cell apoptosis and autophagy by regulating the AMPK/mTOR pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University; The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and RegenerationGuangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Hunan Provincial People's HospitalChangsha 410005, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University; The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Huiqing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University; The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Yongyi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital Changsha 410005, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Yugao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital Changsha 410005, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Yongwen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University; The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Xiaozheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University; The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Guohui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University; The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Shizhong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: AMPK/mTOR pathway; Parkinson’s disease; cell apoptosis and autophagy; dopaminergic nerve cells; miR-124