Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative neurological condition marked by the gradual loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The precise etiology of PD remains unclear, but emerging evidence suggests a significant role for disrupted autophagy—a crucial cellular process for maintaining protein and organelle integrity.Methods: This review focuses on the role of non‐coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in modulating autophagy in PD. We conducted a comprehensive review of recent studies to explore how ncRNAs influence autophagy and contribute to PD pathophysiology. Special attention was given to the examination of ncRNAs' regulatory impacts in various PD models and patient samples.Results: Findings reveal that ncRNAs are pivotal in regulating key processes associated with PD progression, including autophagy, α‐synuclein aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammation. Dysregulation of specific ncRNAs appears to be closely linked to these pathogenic processes.Conclusion: ncRNAs hold significant therapeutic potential for addressing autophagy‐related mechanisms in PD. The review highlights innovative therapeutic strategies targeting autophagy‐related ncRNAs and discusses the challenges and prospective directions for developing ncRNA‐based therapies in clinical practice. The insights from this study underline the importance of ncRNAs in the molecular landscape of PD and their potential in novel treatment approaches.
Ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death, has emerged as a crucial process in diverse pathophysiological states, encompassing cancer, neurodegenerative ailments, and ischemia-reperfusion injury. The glutathione (GSH)-dependent lipid peroxidation pathway, chiefly governed by glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), assumes an essential part in driving ferroptosis. GPX4, as the principal orchestrator of ferroptosis, has garnered significant attention across cancer, cardiovascular, and neuroscience domains over the past decade. Noteworthy investigations have elucidated the indispensable functions of ferroptosis in numerous diseases, including tumorigenesis, wherein robust ferroptosis within cells can impede tumor advancement. Recent research has underscored the complex regulatory role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in regulating the GSH-GPX4 network, thus influencing cellular susceptibility to ferroptosis. This exhaustive review endeavors to probe into the multifaceted processes by which ncRNAs control the GSH-GPX4 network in ferroptosis. Specifically, we delve into the functions of miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs in regulating GPX4 expression and impacting cellular susceptibility to ferroptosis. Moreover, we discuss the clinical implications of dysregulated interactions between ncRNAs and GPX4 in several conditions, underscoring their capacity as viable targets for therapeutic intervention. Additionally, the review explores emerging strategies aimed at targeting ncRNAs to modulate the GSH-GPX4 pathway and manipulate ferroptosis for therapeutic advantage. A comprehensive understanding of these intricate regulatory networks furnishes insights into innovative therapeutic avenues for diseases associated with perturbed ferroptosis, thereby laying the groundwork for therapeutic interventions targeting ncRNAs in ferroptosis-related pathological conditions.
The microbiota-brain interaction is a complex network connecting gut microbiota to the enteric nervous system (ENS) and the central nervous system (CNS) that are crucial for neurotransmission and neurological health. Metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), neurotransmitters, and neuromodulators from the gut microbiota influence behavior and brain function. This review focuses on the study related with gut bacteria, including Bifidobacterium infantis and Lactobacillus species, producing various metabolites in gut including bile acids, SCFA, histamine, and others to communicate with the brain or CNS. Dysbiosis can lead to neurological conditions such as anxiety, depression, PD, and AD. SCFAs from gut bacteria bind to the free fatty acid receptors of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), affecting neurones and influencing neuroactivity. Gut bacteria also produce neurotransmitters that regulate growth hormone release through interactions with the CNS and endocrine systems. Brain signals interact directly with the pituitary and adrenal glands through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which in turn communicates with enteroendocrine cells (EECs). Investigating probiotics, prebiotics, and dietary changes could open new avenues for treatment for mental and neurological problems.
Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly, characterized by extracellular amyloid β‑ (Aβ) plaque deposition and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Impaired autophagy, the cellular pathway for degrading damaged organelles and misfolded proteins, and cellular senescence, permanent cell cycle arrest with proinflammatory secretions, have emerged as key contributors to AD pathogenesis.Methods: We performed a narrative review of recent mechanistic and preclinical studies investigating (1) autophagic flux and its role in Aβ and tau clearance; (2) the accumulation and secretory phenotype of senescent cells in the aging brain; (3) interactions between autophagy impairment and senescence; and (4) the efficacy of autophagy enhancers (e.g., rapamycin and metformin) and senolytic agents in rodent models of AD.Results: Defective autophagosome–lysosome fusion in AD causes autophagic vacuole buildup with amyloid precursor protein and β‑secretase, boosting Aβ generation and hindering tau clearance, promoting neurofibrillary tangles. In AD models, senescent neurons and microglia release pro‑inflammatory cytokines (SASP), fueling neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction. Decline in autophagy induces senescence and blocks clearance in a vicious cycle. Rapamycin and metformin restore autophagic flux, reduce Aβ and tau pathologies, and improve memory. Senolytics clear senescent cells, reduce inflammation, and rescue cognition.Conclusion: Dysregulated autophagy and cellular senescence interact to drive the progression of AD. Targeting these pathways with autophagy‐boosting drugs and senolytic agents holds promise for disease‐modifying therapies aimed at halting or reversing neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease.