Expression of miR-29a is reduced in patients and animal models of several neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, and spinocerebellar ataxias.
The microRNA-29 family (miRNA-29s) has three mature members, miR-29a, miR-29b and miR-29c, which have been implicated in the regulation of the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
The database search on TargetScan, PicTar and miRBase Target identified neurone navigator 3 (NAV3), a regulator of axon guidance, as a principal target of miR-29a, and actually NAV3 mRNA levels were elevated in AD brains.
The results showed LPL mRNA expression was increased and microRNA-29a expression was decreased in the cerebral cortex of AD model mice (APP/PS1), which were alleviated by intermittent fasting.
Two miRNAs (miR-29a, miR-29b) are common to glaucoma and AD, and four miRNAs were identified to be commonly deregulated in AMD and AD (miR-9, miR-21, miR-34a, miR-146a).