Identifying a Comprehensive ceRNA Network to Reveal Novel Targets for the Pathogenesis of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease, and non-coding RNAs may play a role in its development. Competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) network describes the roles of non-coding RNAs. lncRNAs act as microRNAs (miRNAs) sponges to control the availability of endogenous miRNA for binding to their target mRNAs. This study constructs a ceRNA network in PD. Differential expression of lncRNAs and mRNAs were investigated using data from substantia nigra of PD patients and healthy controls. The study then predicted miRNAs that interact with DElncRNAs and DEmRNAs to build two ceRNA networks. The first ceRNA network was based on lncRNA-miRNA interactions and miRNA-mRNA interactions. The second ceRNA network was generated to explore the core section in the first ceRNA network and was validated in external datasets. The study identified DE lncRNAs and DEmRNAs, finally constructing the first ceRNA network associated with PD.

• 1
  Identified 31 DE lncRNAs and 1,828 DEmRNAs and constructed a ceRNA network associated with PD, including 9 lncRNAs, 18 miRNAs, and 185 mRNAs.
• 2
  mRNAs in the ceRNA network focused on autophagy, DNA repair and vesicle transport, which were critical pathological processes in PD.
• 3
  Validated the core subnetwork in external datasets, of which several nodes including FBXL7, PTBP2, and lncRNA NEAT1 were verified.