MicroRNAs (
miRNAs) are short noncoding regulatory
RNA molecules that modulate
protein expression by inhibiting mRNA translation or promoting mRNA degradation. However, little is understood about the roles of
miRNAs in
Alzheimer's disease. During a research for
miRNAs that are differentially expressed in cerebral cortex of APPswe/PSDeltaE9 mice (a model for
Alzheimer's disease) and age-matched controls, one candidate
miRNA that is relatively highly expressed, miR-34a, was studied further because sequence analysis suggested a likely interaction with the 3'-untranslated region of bcl2
mRNA. We show that the expression of miR-34a is inversely correlated with the
protein level of bcl2 in APPswe/PSDeltaE9 mice and age-matched controls, and miR-34a expression directly inhibits bcl2 translation in SH-SY5Y cells. No effect on bcl2
mRNA level was observed. Western blot analysis of active
caspase-3 showed higher levels in APPswe/PSDeltaE9 mice and stable transfecant cell line of miR-34a than in controls. Consistently, miR-34a knockdown through antisense LNA
oligonucleotides increased the level of bcl2
protein in SH-SY5Y cells, which was accompanied by a decrease of active
caspase-3. These findings suggested that bcl2 is an important functional target for miR-34a, and the abnormal expression of miR-34a may contribute to the pathogenesis of
Alzheimer's disease, at least in part by affecting the expression of bcl2.