Biological Function Analysis of MicroRNAs and Proteins in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by alpha-synuclein aggregation into Lewy bodies in the neurons. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is considered the most suited source for investigating PD pathogenesis and identifying biomarkers. While microRNA (miRNA) profiling can aid in the investigation of post-transcriptional regulation in neurodegenerative diseases, information on miRNAs in the CSF of patients with PD remains limited. This review combines miRNA analysis with proteomic profiling to explore the collective impact of CSF miRNAs on the neurodegenerative mechanisms in PD. We constructed separate networks for altered miRNAs and proteomes using a bioinformatics method. Altered miRNAs were poorly linked to biological functions owing to limited information; however, changes in protein expression were strongly associated with biological functions. Subsequently, the networks were integrated for further analysis. In silico prediction from the integrated network revealed relationships between miRNAs and proteins, highlighting increased reactive oxygen species generation, neuronal loss, and neurodegeneration and suppressed ATP synthesis, mitochondrial function, and neurotransmitter release in PD. The approach suggests the potential of miRNAs as biomarkers for critical mechanisms underlying PD. The combined strategy could enhance our understanding of the complex biochemical networks of miRNAs in PD and support the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for precision medicine.