Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by a decline in neuronal function and structure, leading to neuronal death. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of neuronal death is crucial for developing
therapeutics. MiRs are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression by degrading target mRNAs or inhibiting translation. MiR dysregulation has been linked to many
neurodegenerative diseases, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. As
mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the common molecular mechanisms leading to neuronal death in many
neurodegenerative diseases, here we studied miRs that modulate neuronal death caused by
1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), an inhibitor of complex I in mitochondria. We identified miR-593-5p, levels of which were increased in SH-SY5Y human neuronal cells, after exposure to MPP+. We found that intracellular Ca2+, but not of
reactive oxygen species, mediated this miR-593-5p increase. Furthermore, we found the increase in miR-593-5p was due to enhanced stability, not increased transcription or miR processing. Importantly, we show the increase in miR-593-5p contributed to MPP+-induced cell death. Our data revealed that miR-593-5p inhibits a signaling pathway involving
PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) and Parkin, two
proteins responsible for the removal of damaged mitochondria from cells, by targeting the coding sequence of PINK1
mRNA. Our findings suggest that miR-593-5p contributes to neuronal death resulting from MPP+ toxicity, in part, by impeding the PINK1/Parkin-mediated pathway that facilitates the clearance of damaged mitochondria. Taken together, our observations highlight the potential significance of inhibiting miR-593-5p as a therapeutic approach for
neurodegenerative diseases.